Redditor Chatfinity asked, "What’s your best ‘cheap but impressive’ recipe that makes people think you spent hours in the kitchen?" Lots of people chimed in with their go-to recipes that are cheap and easy but feel fancy. 6. "I think Marcella Hazan's tomato pasta sauce recipe is the ultimate example of this type of easy but impressive meal.
1 can San Marzano tomatoes. 5 tablespoons butter. 1 onion, and salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer for about 45 minutes, then discard the onion. One of the best tomato sauces you'll ever have, only three ingredients, 45 minutes cooking time, and you don't even have to chop the onion — just slice it in half." — tree_or_up 8.
"I am always surprised by how impressed people are with bread. For parties and potlucks, I usually make the Dutch oven no-knead bread, then hollow out part of the loaf and fill it with Alton Brown’s scratch-made onion dip. (Except being a Southerner, I fry them onions in bacon grease!) I put the bread I hollowed out on the side, and some chips and vegetables, and people act like I made a miracle.
" — deleted 10. "Roasted chicken is my number one go-to. I dry brine for 48 hours, then season with fresh herbs and butter.
Stuff with garlic, shallot, and lemon, and roast. It is so easy, but people love it." — headcoatee 13.
"Minestrone soup. You can get all the veggies for a very fair price at most grocery stores. I add chickpeas and cannellini beans.
The special trick to give it that 'hours in the kitchen' flavo.