19 unforgettable gourmet meals you won’t believe are homemade

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Ready to upgrade your home cooking? These 19 recipes are simple to make but rival gourmet restaurant quality. From seafood to chicken, these meals are both easy and impactful. Skip the restaurant and discover gourmet meals you can easily make at home.

Each recipe comes with clear instructions and a reasonable cooking time, making it easier than ever to enjoy gourmet food in the comfort of your home. Say goodbye to pricey restaurant bills and time-consuming reservations. With these recipes, you’ll be well-equipped to create gourmet meals that are unforgettable and surprisingly doable.

Chicken with creamy mushroom sauce in a pan.
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach

Tuscan garlic shrimp and spinach with tomatoes in a pan.
Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach recipe combines shrimp, garlic, grape tomatoes, and spinach into a meal you can prepare in about 30 minutes. The quick cooking time sets it apart as a smart option for upscale home dining. The straightforward preparation offers a gourmet experience without requiring hours in the kitchen. You get the essence of restaurant-quality flavors, right in your own home.
Get the recipe: Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach

Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

This Sun Dried Tomato Chicken focuses on chicken thighs simmered in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce. Only a single pan is required, minimizing cleanup. This dish delivers a gourmet experience right in your kitchen, rivaling many restaurant versions. The simplicity of the recipe, combined with its complex flavors, makes it an excellent choice for a high-quality home-cooked meal.
Get the recipe: Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

This Creamy Italian Sausage Soup recipe blends Italian sausage, canned tomatoes, and cream into a one-pot wonder. With a quick 30-minute cooking duration, it can be made and enjoyed in the time you’d have to wait for a table at a restaurant. Its richness of flavor positions it as a perfect choice for those seeking a gourmet, home-cooked meal. The meal provides a complex flavor profile that’s simple to create.
Get the recipe: Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Chicken with creamy mushroom sauce garnished with fresh herbs.
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce is smothered in a lush mushroom sauce and is ready in 30 minutes. The dish can be served independently or paired with rice or vegetables. It’s made quickly in one pan, making it a valuable addition to your home-based gourmet dining options — the depth of flavors in the sauce rivals that of restaurant dishes.
Get the recipe: Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Roasted Cubed Butternut Squash with Cauliflower and Bacon

Roasted cubed butternut squash and spinach with sour cream.
Roasted Cubed Butternut Squash with Cauliflower and Bacon. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Roasted Cubed Butternut Squash with Cauliflower and Bacon recipe combines butternut squash, cauliflower, and bacon in an oven-baked format. Combining these ingredients creates textures and flavors worthy of any gourmet meal.
Get the recipe: Roasted Cubed Butternut Squash with Cauliflower and Bacon

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Creamy Tuscan chicken in a skillet.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Creamy Tuscan Chicken is centered on chicken cooked in a rich sauce featuring heavy cream and Italian herbs. A single pan and 40 minutes are all that’s required. The meal showcases intricate flavors, mimicking a gourmet restaurant dish, but is crafted in your kitchen. The convenient preparation makes it a go-to option for upscale home dining.
Get the recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Bacon Asparagus Pasta

This recipe for Bacon Asparagus Pasta is made with fresh asparagus. The dish proves you can enjoy a top-notch meal at home within 30 minutes. The combination of ingredients provides a depth of flavor that rivals restaurant dishes. With minimal cleanup, it’s a practical choice for fine home dining.
Get the recipe: Bacon Asparagus Pasta

Lemon Garlic Scallops

Scallops with parsley and garlic in a skillet.
Lemon Garlic Scallops. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Lemon Garlic Scallops recipe involves pan-searing scallops with a blend of lemon and garlic. With a brief 30-minute cooking period, this dish makes a compelling case for skipping the restaurant seafood option. The swift and simple preparation ensures a gourmet dining experience at home. The complex flavors mimic what you’d typically find at a seafood restaurant.
Get the recipe: Lemon Garlic Scallops

Keto Zuppa Toscana

A bowl of keto zuppa Toscana with a spoon in it.
Keto Zuppa Toscana. Photo credit: Plays Well With Butter.

This Keto Zuppa Toscana brings sausage, kale, and radishes together in a hearty soup. With a one-hour cooking time, it offers a home-based alternative to Olive Garden’s famous soup. The dish provides an intricate set of flavors, making it a superb option for homemade gourmet dining. The preparation is straightforward, yet the outcome is rich in complexity.
Get the recipe: Keto Zuppa Toscana

Creamy Garlic Chicken

A white skillet of creamy garlic chicken garnished with herbs.
Creamy Garlic Chicken. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Creamy Garlic Chicken features chicken breasts simmered in a smooth garlic cream sauce. This one-pan, 30-minute recipe offers an alternative to restaurant dining without compromising gourmet quality. The swift preparation and limited cleanup make it an excellent choice for upscale home-cooked meals. The sauce provides a rich and complex flavor profile that sets it apart.
Get the recipe: Creamy Garlic Chicken

Philly Cheese Steak Casserole

This Philly Cheese Steak Casserole creatively transforms the classic sandwich into an oven-baked experience featuring sirloin steak, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Its inventive character provides a dining experience that surpasses typical restaurant offerings. This dish embodies the essence of gourmet dining, yet is simple enough to execute at home. The combination of flavors and textures ensures a memorable home-cooked meal.
Get the Recipe: Philly Cheese Steak Casserole

Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice

Creamy ground beef skillet with cauliflower rice with a wooden spoon.
Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice merges ground beef, cauliflower rice, and mushrooms in a one-pan ensemble. With a cooking time of only 30 minutes, it becomes a timely alternative to restaurant dining. The dish provides a complex flavor experience, suitable for a gourmet meal at home. The recipe’s straightforward preparation and minimal cleanup make it a practical choice for upscale dining within your own four walls.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

This Instant Pot Butter Chicken showcases chicken thighs marinated and cooked in a flavorful tomato-based sauce. The Instant Pot reduces cooking time, taking just 40 minutes to complete. This recipe provides a quicker yet equally complex alternative to typical restaurant Indian cuisine. The result is a home-cooked gourmet dish balanced with flavor and quality.
Get the recipe: Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Spinach Chicken Bake

A serving spoon serving of creamy spinach chicken bake.
Creamy Spinach Chicken Bake. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Spinach Chicken Bake recipe features chicken baked alongside spinach in a creamy sauce, ready in just 30 minutes. Its convenience and array of flavors easily compete with a restaurant dining experience. The one-pan dish simplifies the cooking process, allowing you to focus on enjoying a gourmet meal at home. The recipe offers a blend of flavors that are both rich and complex, making it a compelling option for home dining.
Get the recipe: Spinach Chicken Bake

Coconut Curry Thai Turkey Meatballs

These Coconut Curry Thai Turkey Meatballs bring together ground turkey and a nuanced coconut curry sauce featuring coconut aminos, coconut milk, and different types of curry. With a 30-minute cooking time, this dish is an impressive alternative to restaurant-based Thai dishes.
Get the recipe: Coconut Curry Thai Turkey Meatballs

Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts

Chicken thighs in cream sauce with artichoke hearts in a pan with a spoon.
Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts focuses on chicken thighs simmered with a cream sauce and artichoke hearts, all in a single pan. The dish offers flavors that easily compete with restaurant offerings. It perfectly fits the bill for upscale home dining that aspires to gourmet standards.
Get the recipe: Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts

Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms

This Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms uses cauliflower as a rice alternative to yield a creamy homemade risotto. This dish requires only 30 minutes to bring restaurant-quality risotto into your home kitchen. The recipe is simple yet elegant, exemplifying the best in homemade gourmet dining.
Get the recipe: Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

This Instant Pot Chicken Adobo is a Filipino-inspired dish featuring chicken, vinegar, and soy sauce. Using an Instant Pot, the recipe takes just 40 minutes to complete. This quick and authentic option outshines many restaurant offerings and brings gourmet quality to your home dining experience. The balance of flavors and the use of traditional ingredients make this dish both impressive and memorable.
Get the recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

Cauliflower Cheddar Cheese Bacon Soup

Easy keto cauliflower cheddar cheese bacon soup in a pot with a spoon.
Cauliflower Cheddar Cheese Bacon Soup. Photo credit: Real Balanced.

This Cauliflower Cheddar Cheese Bacon Soup blends cauliflower and cheddar cheese, garnished with bacon, all in a stovetop preparation that’s ready in 30 minutes. This dish offers a gourmet eating experience that is an excellent alternative to restaurant dining.
Get the recipe: Cauliflower Cheddar Cheese Bacon Soup

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