California Recipes

Staff Picks

California Grilled Veggie Sandwich

854

I came up with this recipe to entertain friends. Since I am a semi-vegetarian and love to BBQ, I am always inventing something new. The first time I made this, my meat-lover friends raved about this dish! I prefer mesquite coals over gas barbeques...however, either works fine.

By Anonymous

Fish Tacos

2068

I'm from San Diego and these taste just like home! We live in the south now, and nobody has heard of these! Serve with homemade pico de gallo, and lime wedges to squeeze on top!

By BREESE823

California-Thai Flank Steak

This Thai-inspired marinated steak is a family favorite. Serve with basmati rice, a fresh salad and/or soup, and fresh fruit for desert!

By Karyn Ulriksen

California Melt

153

A satisfying open-face vegetarian sandwich with avocado, almonds and mushrooms.

By ORNERY

Authentic Mexican Chili Rellenos

204

This is an authentic Mexican recipe that has been handed down for generations in my family.

By Kentucky Guera

Jamie's Minestrone

1775

I created this soup after becoming tired of the excess salt and lack of veggies in canned minestrone. I recalled a great bowl of minestrone that was overflowing with rich vegetables at the 'Sheepherder's Inn' in Sacramento, California. Great with a hearty bread, romaine salad and a nice Merlot!

By Jamie

Mom's Favorite Baked Mac and Cheese

862

This is a macaroni and cheese I first made 3 years ago when I was in California. When I got back to Texas I made it for my mom. This is now her favorite baked macaroni and cheese. She begs me to make it when I come to visit.

By GEPETTO_69

Cioppino

646

A wonderful seafood stew! Serve with a loaf of warm, crusty bread for sopping up the delicious broth!

By Star Pooley

BBQ Chicken Pizza

311

A topping of spicy barbeque sauce, diced chicken, cilantro, peppers, and onion all covered with cheese, and baked to bubbly goodness! This is similar to a recipe I had at a popular pizza place in California. My family LOVES it!

By KIMIRAE

Santa Maria Grilled Tri-Tip Beef

230

The town of Santa Maria, California, is home to one of America's most delicious barbecue specialties: black-on-the-outside, pink-on-the-inside, grilled beef tri-tip steak. The tri-tip is cut from the bottom sirloin, and if cooked properly produces a very flavorful, extremely juicy piece of beef.

By Chef John

White Bean Chicken Chili

1003

This recipe was passed down from a friend, and now it is one of our favorites! It's great to make whenever there is left over chicken or turkey around! We pray for colder weather in California just so we can make this soup! You can substitute additional diced tomatoes for the tomatillos. If you would like the soup to be spicier, you can add some red chili flakes or salsa. Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

By Thea

Fish Chowder

504

The fishermen of Bodega Bay, California shared this favorite, quick and easy recipe with my sister during a Fish Festival. It is one of the best chowders I've had, and my kids love it too! We top with bacon bits and a few shakes of hot sauce for a little spice. Enjoy!

By AMYTHE

Inspiration and Ideas

16 California Recipes That Celebrate the Best of the West

California is one long slice of culinary creativity. stretching from the fish tacos of San Diego to the cioppino and sourdough breads of San Francisco, and beyond. Dig into the best of the West!

The Best San Francisco Recipes

15 Best Ways to Taste a West Coast Summer

San Francisco Pork Chops

403

Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Dressing

794

San Francisco Sourdough Bread

454

Fiery Fish Tacos with Crunchy Corn Salsa

663

Spicy grilled fish are cooled down with a fresh crunchy veggie salsa featuring fresh corn. Your guests will swim back for seconds!

California Roll

Rating: Unrated

17
Air Fryer Crispy Fish Tacos with Slaw

Rating: Unrated

3
Habanero Hellfire Chili

Rating: Unrated

268
Chef John's Cioppino

Rating: Unrated

59
California Roll Sushi

Rating: Unrated

47

More California Recipes

Fish Taco Sauce

141

I use this sauce for my fish tacos. You can make this ahead and keep in the fridge. You can substitute any hot sauce for the sriracha.

By Kaylee Flores

Garlic Noodles

These deceivingly simple, yet devastatingly delicious garlic noodles were invented back in the '70s at a restaurant in San Francisco called Thanh Long. Usually served with roasted Dungeness crab, the recipe is a very closely guarded family secret, but after lots of investigation, and even more experimentation, I think this is very close.

By Chef John

Quick Fish Tacos

165

This simple yet scrumptious recipe has a nice kick and is a house favorite. Delicious!

By Huge

Seafood Cioppino

153

This is as good as any restaurant's version! Serve with rice and a nice salad.

By DeeDee Henderson

The Famous Seafood Seasoning Recipe

This one really wasn't that hard to crack...The ingredients are printed on the container! The only difficult part was working out the correct ratios for each spice, or herb... But patient perseverance, and good ol' 'trial and error' saved the day. The original Old Bay® Seasoning was invented in the 1940's by an American-German immigrant named Gustav Brunn. Initially, it was intended only for use on crab meat (as there was plenty of it in the Chesapeake Bay area where Gustav lived!), but in the last decade or so, it's used in other food areas, such as poultry and salads.

By The Colonel's Kitchen

Keto White Chicken Chili

This is a keto version of the white chicken chili recipe made popular by Karen Celia Fox (she adapted it from The Kitchen for Exploring Foods caterers in Pasadena, California. The original recipe is fantastic!). The end result is a thick, creamy chili with chunks of sauteed and pulled chicken. Great for those cold winter nights! Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight for better flavor.

By David Dragoo

Eggplant Sandwiches

179

Roasted eggplant in a French roll with feta cheese, basil and garlic mayonnaise. This was my favorite sandwich of all time, adapted from a cafe at the University of California, Irvine.

By Jamie

Oktoberfest Chicken and Red Cabbage

I adore Bavarian cuisine! And since there's no good German food here (while I lived in San Francisco, my husband and I ate at wonderful German/Hungarian restaurants there), I have to make my own...This recipe is crazy simple.

By HerbanSpoons

Mexican Street Vendor Style Corn Salad

I lived in southern California for many years. Around Cinco de Mayo, there would be fiestas in our neighborhood. Vendors sold grilled corn on the cob prepared with butter, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, chile powder and a lime wedge. They were so delicious! After moving, we'd crave this corn, so I altered the recipe using canned corn and mixed in the same ingredients for a similar treat that doesn't require an outdoor grill.

By Parizienne

Kris' Amazing Shredded Mexican Beef

144

My husband grew up in southern California, and he says this shredded Mexican beef is the best he's ever had. Use it in burritos, tacos, salads and more.

By Kris Ross

California Italian Wedding Soup

193

This is my variation of a standard recipe. I like fresh basil and a little lemon rind, so those are basically my only changes. This is a quick and easy soup with flavors that impress all.

By DPATEL

Baja Style Fish Tacos

I came up with this recipe after having fish tacos from a street vendor in Ensenada, Mexico. It is the closest to authentic I have found. Salsa can be made a day in advance for flavors to blend.

By Nancy Kopperud

Santa Maria-Style Tri Tip Roast

My family raves about this oven-cooked tri tip roast; it's succulent, flavorful, and even my picky 5 year-old loves it! If you want to get a taste of southern California barbeque, this is it. Serve with fresh salsa, tortillas, rice, and beans. Enjoy!

By Pamlovestocook

Instant Pot® Green Chili Chicken and Rice

This is a great one-pot dish of green chili chicken and rice with 3 different types of chile peppers - Anaheim, jalapenos and fire roasted green chile peppers, for those of you who like it spicy!

By Huserdaddy

Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan Rolls

Had this for the first time at a take-out pizza and pasta place in southern California. We all loved it so much that we came up with our own version that is just as good as the take-out one. This has become an all-time favorite in our house. Serve with your favorite tomato sauce, cream sauce, or other topping sauce. We serve this over spaghetti noodles, then top with favorite sauce sprinkled with cheese. Or just eat as they are straight from the oven.

By Nikki Wilson

Trader Vic Mai Tai Cocktail

California restaurateur Trader Vic is credited with invention of the mai tai. He served the rum and juice cocktail to friends visiting from Tahiti, who exclaimed, 'Maita'i roa ae!' The term translates to 'very good' and the name mai tai stuck.

By Allrecipes

Dried Apricot Jam

Yes you can use dried apricots to make jam! This has beautiful color and flavor. I have dried California Blenheim apricots from Apricot King shipped to me in Washington and they are wonderful.

By Cookin4Six!

Horchata Made Easy

Horchata (cinnamon rice milk) has been a favorite addition to the many Mexican meals I've had in the Bay Area. It's lightly sweet and refreshing. This is a much easier recipe than the traditional method which requires up to 3 hours to make.

By jheelan

Cheesy Broccoli and Vegetable Soup

This soup is so wonderful served with hot muffins on a cold winter day! The different vegetables in a creamy, cheesy soup. If soup is not thick enough, stir in instant potato flakes to desired thickness. This will make the soup thick (and a little grainy.)

By Bryanne Affleck Robison

Queso (Cheese) Dip

This is the best queso dip! Being from Texas, I know my queso, and I think this is the one that beats them all! It's full of flavor and all fresh ingredients. You can substitute half-and-half for the heavy whipping cream, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.

By SHRIMPBAIT

Fish Tacos Ultimo

147

After many attempts and many combinations of ingredients these fish tacos are ULTIMO!

By rev'd up chef

Tortillas I

253

To Latinos everywhere, these are not only our bread but usually our utensil at mealtime as well! Some like big and thin, some like them small and fat, depending on the region of the country you're from and the way your grandmother made them!

By Esther Nelson

Baked Cod Fish Tacos

A personal spin on baked cod fish tacos. When beef or chicken gets tiresome, do something fishy! Omitted cilantro due to personal tastes, but feel free to add if desired.

By Adam Bassett

Killer Shrimp Soup

126

There's an awesome little restaurant in Marina Del Rey, California called 'Killer Shrimp' that serves up one thing -- Shrimp soup. This is an easy to prepare spicy herb soup with lots of broth, flavor, and a little kick. It doesn't need any fancy presentation. Simply ladle it into big bowls and serve. Don't bother using spoons, just serve it with some crusty bread and use the bread to soak up the broth.

By NewMexicoMama

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