Learning how to make your take out favourites at home with copy cat restaurant recipes can save you tons of money plus help your family adapt more easily to a meal plan.
I’m embarrassed to say that before Istarted meal planning, our family ate take out/fast food a lot. I wish I could say it was because we are a super busy family, but if I must be honest, it was out of sheer laziness. I never had agood stock of stapleseven though I went grocery shopping. Every. Single. Day.
The imposed quarantine changed those bad habits very quickly. And finding and creating copy cat restaurant recipes taught me and my family that not only did we save time and money by making food at home, the comparable meals actually tasted way better. Not to mention, our dinners were hot when we sat down to eat and not lukewarm as they almost always were with pick-up or delivery.
Everybody has that one favourite restaurant item that they absolutely crave and will surely miss if you give up take out delivery altogether. But you don’t have to! Check out this collection of take out recipes that you can make at home yourself right now!
Learn the secret ingredients for KFC chicken seasoning, bang bang shrimp and that famous McGriddle breakfast. You’ll find copycat recipes for Mongolian beef, chicken tikka masala, sticky chicken wings, and even egg rolls. Make your own loaded nachos, homemade Italian footlong sandwiches and even those irresistible glazed doughnuts!
You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to be able to make your favourite takeout items with these copy cat restaurant recipes right in your own kitchen!
20 Favourite Restaurant Recipes You Can Make At Home
Easy Pork Fried Rice With Vegetables
Frozen peas and carrots (and even frozen rice if you have it) can make this a quick meal to throw together. Use leftover pork, or roast a pork loin to use throughout the week for meal planning. Either way, stir fry these ingredients, plus seasonings and an egg to get a delicious homemade takeout meal! Easy Pork Fried Rice With Vegetables by Simply Recipes.
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Recreate your favourite Indian-inspired chicken dish with this pressure cooker version that helps you get it on the table quickly. Sauté the spices, add the chicken and tomato sauce and let cook. Add coconut milk during the last 15 minutes of pressure cooking. You’ll be amazed at how awesome this tastes! Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala by Well Plated.
PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe
You can have this beefy dish on the table in under 30 minutes. The savoury soy sauce is spiced with garlic and ginger and flavours the sliced steak to perfection. Serve this deliciousness over rice and garnish with slice green onions. PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe by Averie Cooks.
Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
It’s easy to make these sticky wings right at home in your oven. While your wings bake, make the sweet, savoury and garlicky sauce on the stove. Let it simmer to reduce so that it will become thick and will coat the chicken wings to sticky perfection. These wings will be gobbled up quickly by your appreciative family! Honey Garlic Chicken Wings by Homemade Hooplah.
Easy Egg Rolls
You won’t believe how easy it is to make DIY egg rolls! You’ll need egg roll wrappers, ground pork, cole slaw mix and some seasonings. Cook your pork and then combine it with the slaw mix. Fill your egg wrappers with the mixture and fold. This handy tutorial shows you how to fold and seal them with flour and water. Fry in hot oil until the wrappers are crispy. So good! Easy Egg Rolls by Taste And Tell Blog.
Homemade Sausage McGriddle
You may never go through the golden arches drive-thru again for breakfast once you make this awesome version of a Sausage McGriddle. It’s no secret that the syrup is the key to this breakfast’s tastiness, so click through to the recipe to learn how to infuse the pancake sandwich! Tip: you can make this sandwich a little healthier by using a veggie or turkey sausage and other ingredient substitutes, if you like. Have fun making and eating this one! Homemade Sausage McGriddle by Making Midlife Matter.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Bang Bang Shrimp
Shrimp flavoured with a sweet chilli sauce nestled in a coconut curry sauce is a favourite dish that you can quickly make at home. Add some fresh veggies to the curry and serve over rice and garnish with green onions and peanuts. This will become one of your most-requested meals! Copycat Cheesecake Factory Bang Bang Shrimp by The Slow Roasted Italian.
Looking for more theme night inspiration? Check these out!
- Meatless Monday Recipes
- Taco Tuesday Recipes
- Chicken Leftover Recipes
- Copy Cat Take Out Recipes
- Make Ahead Breakfast Freezer Meals
General Tso’s Chicken
Sweet and as spicy as you can handle it are trademarks of classic General Tso’s chicken dishes. Just deep fry your battered chicken cubes and then toss them in the homemade soy sauce spiked with garlic, red chilli flakes and hoisin sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve over rice. General Tso’s Chicken by Dinner At The Zoo.
Totally Epic Loaded Nachos
Who doesn’t love a plateful of loaded nachos? In this case, it’s a baking sheet full of epic nachos sporting everything from ground taco beef and beans to any and all veggies that you like. And of course, cheese! Use your favourite type of tortilla chip, but make sure they’re sturdy enough to withstand the toppings. Bake up this awesomeness and then dig in! Totally Epic Loaded Nachos by Brown Eyed Baker.
15 Minute Pad Thai
Whether you use a wok or a skillet, this quick pad thai recipe is extra tasty thanks to the spicy homemade sauce. You can use tofu, shrimp or chicken for your protein. Stir fry it and serve it over rice noodles. Garnish with a little lime and roasted peanuts.15 Minute Pad Thai by Feasting At Home.
Italian Hero Sub Sandwich
If you’re craving a meaty sub sandwich, follow this recipe to create a tasty Italian version. Grab a footlong hoagie bun and pile on a combo of meats such as salami, capocollo, and calabrese. Add provolone cheese along with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and banana peppers. Add some mayo and mustard, too. Cut in half and take that first glorious bite! Italian Hero Sub Sandwich by The Creative Bite.
Supreme Detroit Style Pizza
Your stand mixer will make the perfect buttery dough for this deep dish pizza. It’s probably the easiest dough you’ll ever make, And it gets even easier. Just top it with your favourite pizza toppings like pepperoni, peppers, olives, onion, and of course sauce and cheese. Bake up this lovely pie and enjoy this traditional favourite. Supreme Detroit Style Pizza by Little Spice Jar.
CopyCat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
This recipe is a little time consuming because you need to let the dough rise. But the payoff is worth it, so plan ahead on this one! You’ll need a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Once your dough has risen and is ready to roll out and cut, all that’s left to do is fry the doughnuts in a large heavy skillet. But the best part? The glaze! Dip each doughnut in the glaze and allow to set before digging in. Sweet! Copycat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts by Brown Eyed Baker.
CopyCat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Take a flour or whole wheat tortilla and fry it in a skillet until crispy. Add refried beans, enchilada sauce, chopped tomato and shredded cheese on top. Bake for about 10 minutes and until cheese is melted. Enjoy your very own personal sized Mexican pizza! Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas by Domestic Super Hero.
Sesame Chicken Egg Roll In A Bowl
If you love egg rolls but are looking for an easy and healthier alternative, try this chicken and broccoli slaw based version. The flavours are enhanced by using sesame oil to sauté the ingredients with. Of course, soy sauce and vinegar add to the flavour profile, as well. All your favourite egg roll tastes, right here in this bowl of yumminess! Sesame Chicken Egg Roll In A Bowl by Peace Love And Low Carb.
Oven Fried Chicken KFC CopyCat
Can’t get enough of that special KFC chicken seasoning? Try this baked version and you’ll be able to easily make it at home without all the frying. There’s still some dredging and seasoning for the chicken, but it’s necessary to get that special crunchy coating in the oven. Oh, and the spices! Check out this copycat recipe to learn what’s in it! Oven Fried Chicken KFC Copycat by Kevin Is Cooking.
Beef Burritos
Not only are these beef burritos delicious and filling, they’re a great way to meal plan because they’re freezer friendly! Make a batch for the future by browning your beef with this healthier version of homemade Mexican seasoning. Also sub in cabbage instead of lettuce since it works better for freezing. Black beans, corn, rice, onion and cheese round out the rest of the ingredients. Your family will love these! Beef Burritos by Recipe Tin Eats.
Kung Pao Shrimp
Shrimp and veggies make this a quick meal that’s flavoured with rice vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce. Onions, peppers, ginger, garlic, dried chilis and peanuts add to the spiciness of this tasty meal. Serve with rice. it’s a quick way to feed a hungry family! Kung Pao Shrimp by The Lemon Bowl.
Ground Beef Tacos
The classic taco in a crunchy shell is hard to beat as a family favourite. Using ground beef or ground turkey, season it well and add refried beans, salsa and green chilies to the mixture. Now you’re ready to build the tacos with this meaty base. Top with cheese, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream. Ground Beef Tacos by Carlsbad Cravings.
