22 Vintage Dinner Recipes We'll Never Stop Making

These retro recipes are classics that deserve a comeback in every kitchen.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published October 23, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Angle view of a white baking dish of chicken tetrazzini with a slice removed next to a blue cloth napkin

Simply Recipes / Carla Cardello

Vintage means something different to everyone. I had a confrontation with it recently as I was browsing the racks at my local thrift shop and noticed a section with pieces labelled "Vintage Y2K." For me, the words vintage and Y2K most definitely do not go together, but there are many young adults who would consider fashion from the 90s and 00s vintage. Feel old yet?

When sourcing recipes for this "vintage" recipe list, we decided to place our focus on ones that were invented or gained popularity between the 1920s and 1980s. We've also included a bit of history about each recipe, which could come in handy at your next trivia night—you never know!

In the end, whether you consider these recipes vintage, old-school, traditional, or something else altogether, there's one bind that ties them all: they're delicious and more than worthy of a 2025 comeback.

  • Chicken à la King

    Serving of chicken a la king on a plate with rice and a biscuit at a table setting with another serving on a plate, a bowl of biscuits, glasses of wine, and table napkins

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "The origin of chicken à la king’s name is a subject of debate. Some say it was created at New York’s Brighton Beach Hotel in the 1890s and named after its proprietor E. Clark King II. Some claim it originated in England, while others say it’s from Philadelphia. Regardless of where it started, by the turn of the century, chicken à la king was everywhere. Records indicate that it appeared on roughly 300 menus from 1910 to 1960." —Laura Manzano, Recipe Developer

  • Beef Stroganoff

    A shallow bowl of beef Stroganoff over pasta on a dinner table

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "According to Food Timeline, beef Stroganoff may have first appeared in Russian cookbooks in the mid 1800s, presumably named for a prominent member of the Stroganoff family. The dish became popular in the U.S. in the 1950s from servicemen returning from Europe and China after WWII." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Easy Porcupine Meatballs

    Overhead view of a cast iron skillet of meatballs with expanded rice on the surface and sauce on a wooden cutting board next to a checkered blue and white towel and wooden spoon

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "A fun and retro dish, porcupine meatballs started to appear in the early 20th century but gained popularity post World War II, when brands like Hunt’s printed recipes for porcupine meatballs in ads for their tomato sauce." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Mom's Stuffed Bell Peppers

    Stuffed Bell Peppers

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This recipe my mother adapted from Adelle Davis when mom was teaching herself to cook in the 1960s." —Elise

    Continue to 5 of 22 below

  • Chicken Fricassee

    chicken fricasse in a dutch oven (close-up)

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "In “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” first published in 1961, fricassee is described as “halfway between a sauté and a stew.” The basic technique for any fricassee is to sauté some protein and vegetables in a pan, add liquid, bring to a simmer, and finish the cooking process as a braise." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Steak Diane

    A plate of Steak Diane, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Doing some research into Steak Diane, I found that the "Diane" part refers to Diana, the Greco-Roman goddess of the hunt, and "a la Diane" sauces were typically served with venison and game meat in centuries past." —Elise

  • Homemade Swedish Meatballs

    A dish of Swedish meatballs in gravy.

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "For the record, it's not strictly traditional to serve sauce (or gravy) with Swedish meatballs in Sweden. But somehow, in the transition from Europe to this side of the Atlantic, we have become accustomed to serving the meatballs with sauce. And thank goodness; it's terrific!" —Elise

  • Chicken Marbella

    A plate of chicken marbella, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "In my opinion, this is one of the finest dishes ever to come out of The Silver Palate Cookbook. Published in 1982, it was written by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso, who owned the Silver Palate Gourmet Shop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the 1970s. They revolutionized American home cooking at the time, introducing Spanish, Moroccan, Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian influences, and adding complex flavors and sophistication to homemade dishes." —Elise

    Continue to 9 of 22 below

  • Chicken Vesuvio

    Chicken Vesuvio in a Cast Iron Skillet

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "Depending on who you ask, chicken Vesuvio originated in Chicago in the 1920s, 30s, or 60s, at one of three different Italian restaurants. Possibly it’s named after the volcano Vesuvius in Southern Italy, because of the way the steam rises when the wine is added to the hot pan.) Or it could be because the way the chicken pieces are piled on top of the potatoes suggests a mountain on the plate. Either way, the Windy City got lucky." —Liz Tarpy, Recipe Developer

  • American Chop Suey

    close-up view of American Chop Suey with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

    "“Chop suey” was a catch-all term for Chinese-American stir fries consisting of mixed chopped vegetables and meat (often beef) cooked in soy sauce and served over rice that became popular in the United States in the late 1800s. Over time, the dish morphed into many new forms, including American chop suey, which rose to prominence in the 1960s." —Amanda Stanfield, Food Studio Coordinator

  • Chicken Marengo

    chicken marengo served over pasta

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "Chicken Marengo is a French-meets-Italian dish, dating back to the time of Napoleon. This modernized, simple version has a surprisingly short list of ingredients for how much flavor it delivers. Mushrooms and tomatoes lend lots of umami, and a cup of white wine adds enough acidity to counteract the richness of the skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

    Best homemade salisbury steaks served from the pan

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "This recipe is a little (okay, a lot) retro, but it totally hits the spot. It’s also much more economical than actual steak, especially since we prefer to buy grass-fed beef in our house and dinner for two can get spendy." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

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  • Ham and Bean Soup

    ham and bean soup served in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This ham and bean soup is one of my favorite recipes on the website, and one that my father has been making for the family for decades. He makes a big batch (doubles this one) and because it just gets better as the days go by, we'll enjoy it for dinner one night and then for lunch for several days afterward." —Elise

  • Easy Chicken and Dumplings

    overhead view of bowls of Easy Chicken and Dumplings with spoons

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    "Chicken and dumplings is a quintessential, soulful Southern dish akin to classic chicken noodle or matzo ball soup. Which is to say: it is the ultimate comfort food. When I married into a Southern family and learned all about chicken and dumplings, I was determined to find a shortcut version that we would still love for cold rainy days as well as celebrations. Luckily, I found a way to make a very good and super easy version of chicken and dumplings with just a handful of staple ingredients and a few shortcuts." —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

  • Beef Wellington

    Beef Wellington Sliced in Half on a Cutting Board Next to a Bowl of Side Salad

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    "Beef Wellington is one of those dishes that was a lot more popular 40 years ago than it is now. Thanks to inspiration and a video from Chef Gordon Ramsay, I now know that it's actually a lot easier to make than it looks, assuming you are using ready-made puff pastry, and the result is fantastic." —Elise

  • Chicken Kiev

    Butter oozing out of Chicken Kiev.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "Chicken Kiev is a crispy breaded chicken stuffed with butter, which oozes when cut. It was popular in restaurants from the 1940s through the 80s before it made the jump a mass market ready meal that I remember eating in the early 2000s, straight from the microwave." —Devan Girmsrud, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 17 of 22 below

  • Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

    Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole in cast iron skillet

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "My father and I have been reminiscing lately about my mom's tuna casserole, the one she used to make in the 60s, with cream of mushroom soup, broccoli, lots of cheese, and a crushed potato chip topping. I reproduced it for today's lunch, in honor of the weekend and long-forgotten family traditions and it's just what you want in a classic tuna casserole!" —Elise

  • Cheese Fondue

    A fondue pot with cheese fondue, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Cheese fondue was created in Switzerland in the 1800s and was promoted by the Swiss as a national dish in the 1930s. It gained in popularity in the US (along with other types of fondue) in the 1960s and 70s. Make it a meal by serving with plenty of potatoes, which work great as a dipper or side.

  • Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole

    Angle view of a white baking dish of chicken tetrazzini with a slice removed next to a blue cloth napkin

    Simply Recipes / Carla Cardello

    "This casserole gets its name from opera star Luisa Tetrazzini, for whom this casserole was created in the early 1900s. The exact chef and restaurant of origin is still disputed!" —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Waldorf Salad

    Waldorf Salad

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "According to the American Century Cookbook, the first Waldorf salad was created in New York City in 1893, by Oscar Tschirky, the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria. The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic." —Elise

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  • Chicken Cordon Bleu

    Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu on a white platter with lemon wedges.

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera

    "According to legend, the cook of a small inn in the village of Brig, Switzerland was caught off guard by a last-minute dinner rush. Having very little meat on hand with which to feed the unexpected crowd, she decided to pound pork out into a thin schnitzel, then stuff it with ham and cheese. The dish was such a hit that the diners declared she was worthy of Le Cordon Bleu—The Blue Ribbon. Over time, the recipe has evolved into a dish that’s made with chicken. The first known reference to Chicken Cordon Bleu was in the New York Times in 1967." —Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

  • My Dad's Favorite Meatloaf

    How to Make Meatloaf (Classic)

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "My dad's trick to meatloaf? He mixes Italian pork sausage (half sweet, half spicy) in with ground beef. The original recipe came from an old issue of Gourmet (April 1994) and my father has been changing it over the years to his taste (including using Italian sausage instead of plain ground pork). It's no ordinary meatloaf." —Elise

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