10 Foods That Are Surprisingly Better When Homemade

There's something special about homemade food that restaurants just can't replicate. It's about the love, the effort, and the fresh touch that goes into every dish. Here are 12 foods that, when made at home, surpass their restaurant counterparts in taste and satisfaction. From comfort classics to gourmet delights, get ready to discover the homemade versions that totally outshine the rest!

AUTHOR: Chris Phelan

Table of Contents

1. Gumbo
2. Meatloaf
3. Scrambled Eggs
4. Grilled Steak
5. Pulled Pork
6. Ravioli
7. Grilled Cheese
8. Sweet and Sour Chicken
9. Mashed Potatoes
10. Biscuits
11. Cheeseburgers
12. Lasagna
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1. Gumbo

Eating a fantastic restaurant version of gumbo typically means visiting New Orleans, but luckily, many home chefs reveal that superb homemade gumbo is attainable! "To do a nice one, yes, it's a fair amount of work," concedes one home chef. "But holy heck, it is worth it! There are hundreds of quality recipes to make a perfect gumbo. I make my roux super dark." It sounds like, although it's a lot of work, the end result is worth it.

2. Meatloaf

For reasons that escape me, I cannot understand why no restaurant can compete with my homemade meatloaf recipe. Every meatloaf dish I've ever tried in restaurants was overcooked and dry! Here's a message to every restaurant owner in America: If you need someone to teach your staff how to prepare this delectable comfort food, I can make myself available. Get The Recipe

3. Scrambled Eggs

Countless men and women confess they fall into the same trap whenever they treat themselves to breakfast at a decent restaurant: They order an underwhelming scrambled egg dish! They all have the same complaint: Overcooked eggs devoid of all flavor. Scrambled eggs are easy and quick to make; why do so many professional kitchens manage to screw it up? Get The Recipe

4. Grilled Steak

While I know I can't grill a steak better than a high-end steakhouse, many other home chefs believe they can. More power to them! "I can make a better steak at home than I can get at any restaurant other than the best places," one man confesses. "I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've gotten a better steak than the best I can make at home. At that point, it becomes mostly about the quality of the meat, and a good butcher can help level the playing field."

5. Pulled Pork

Restaurants make pulled pork in such large batches that quality control can be tricky. However, when you slow-cook a few pounds at a time in a Dutch oven at home, you're guaranteed to eat the juiciest pulled pork you've ever had! Take it from someone who routinely cooks pulled pork: Always make your own. Get The Recipe

6. Ravioli

As arguably the best type of pasta, ravioli is not only easy to make, but being creative with preparing it can level up the dish enough to outshine many restaurants! "Get even mildly decent at ravioli, and you realize you can make anything into ravioli," advises one home chef. "I had a New Year's Eve party one year that left me with a lot of rotelle dip. The Super Bowl was coming around. I made the rotelle into ravioli, then battered it and fried it. It was a religious awakening to many people." Get The Recipe

7. Grilled Cheese

Preparing the perfect grilled cheese sandwich is a lost art. Restaurants often offer high-end grilled cheese sandwiches as an excuse to make a lot of profit thanks to the cheap ingredients used. However, I know the secret to making the most fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches on Earth: Spread mayo on the bread when grilling it, utilizing the condiment as a substitute for butter. Trust me; it's a game-changer!

8. Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken with colorful bell pepper on a plate. Chinese dish — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Many people confess that their favorite Asian-inspired dish is sweet and sour chicken. Although many restaurants succeed in knocking this meal out of the park, it's possible to make a version at home that outshines them all! "Sweet and sour chicken is super easy and just fantastic," explains one man. "The secret is that it is fried twice, and restaurants typically cook it once and then wait for you to order to cook it a second time. So you could cook the chicken yourself a day in advance." Get The Recipe

9. Mashed Potatoes

How often restaurants mess up simple side dishes like mashed potatoes is mind-blowing. Even if fresh potatoes are used, the mashed potatoes usually come out bland and dry. Home chefs are near-unanimous in their sentiment that homemade mashed potatoes consistently blow restaurant mashed potatoes out of the water! I agree; I'll take anyone's homemade potatoes over a restaurant version. Get The Recipe

10. Biscuits

It's simple: Restaurant biscuits are good, but homemade biscuits are heavenly! "I have never had a better biscuit than the ones I make at home," reveals one woman. "I'm a good cook, but I'm not professional-chef good. The recipe I use is exceptional, and they are fresh. Restaurant biscuits are typically reheated or, at best, day old."

11. Cheeseburgers

Woman eating burger — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

It's official: According to many amateur home chefs, they have perfected the art of creating the perfect cheeseburger. I credit creativity for why homemade burgers are so good; you can put literally any topping or condiment you want on them. The only limit is what you have in your refrigerator and pantry!

12. Lasagna

Sometimes, restaurants and pubs can't compete with recipes passed down in families from generation to generation. When it comes to lasagna, being told the secret family recipe puts any home chef in rarefied air! "I've only had one or two places that have a lasagna that is remotely notable compared to my wife's homemade version," admits one very well-fed husband. Get The Recipe

Source: Reddit.