10 Best HelloFresh Recipes 2024: Expert Rated
Maybe you’re interested in HelloFresh but don’t want to commit to a subscription before you try the food. Why not cook some of the best HelloFresh recipes and see if you enjoy them? I’ll walk you through the 10 best HelloFresh recipes you can get your hands on this year. There’s something here for everyone.
HelloFresh offers an online cookbook with instructions for many of its most popular meal kits. You don’t get the convenience of delivery, but you can buy the listed ingredients and prepare the meal according to its recipe. That way, you’re free to check out the meals before plunging into a subscription.
I’ve poured through HelloFresh’s cookbook to bring you the recipes that best represent the HelloFresh menu. I’ve also scanned customer feedback and consulted with reviewers. The consensus is that HelloFresh recipes are well-outlined and easy to make across the board. Here are my top picks to get you started.
Short on Time? Here Are the Best HelloFresh Recipes
One-Pan Trattoria Tortelloni Bake – Best HelloFresh recipe
When Steak Met Potatoes – Best HelloFresh steak recipe
“Little Ears” Pasta with Broccoli & Pesto – Best family-friendly HelloFresh recipe
Pan-Seared Chicken with Herbs De Provence – Best HelloFresh calorie smart recipe
Honey Dijon Dill Trout – Best HelloFresh gourmet plus recipe
The Best HelloFresh Recipes Reviewed
1. One-Pan Trattoria Tortelloni Bake – Best HelloFresh Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 25 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Small bowl, medium pan, baking dish
HelloFresh’s One-Pan Trattoria Tortelloni Bake is a perfect example of what it does well. That’s why I gave it my #1 spot. This Tortelloni Bake may not be the most adventurous recipe in the HelloFresh cookbook, but it expands your cooking skills, improves your diet, and saves you time planning and preparing meals.
This recipe takes you through the simple steps of making a sauce. If you’re used to eating pasta sauce out of a jar, you’ll be amazed at how much better homemade sauce tastes. Toss your tortelloni in an oven-safe skillet, and you can take it from stovetop to broiler in 1 easy step.
If you are concerned about the high sodium content (1,490 mg), you can simply add less salt during cooking, like in our expert-tested review. There’s no MSG, high fructose corn syrup, or weird preservatives, so you can make HelloFresh meals healthier with a bit of tweaking.
Nutrition | Calories: 750 cal |
Ingredients | Garlic, Roma tomato, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, mushroom stock concentrate, cream cheese, tomato paste, cheese tortelloni |
Essentials | Olive oil, salt, pepper, butter |
Method | 1. Preheat and prep: Preheat the broiler to high. Mince garlic, dice tomatoes, and mix panko, Parmesan, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 2. Make the sauce: Sauté garlic, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes in olive oil. Add diced tomatoes, cook briefly, then stir in tomato paste, water, stock concentrate, and cream cheese. Simmer until fully combined and seasoned. 3. Cook tortelloni: Add tortelloni to the sauce, cook until tender and the sauce thickens. Stir in butter until melted. 4. Broil topping: Sprinkle the panko mixture over the tortelloni and broil until golden brown, watching carefully to avoid burning. 5. Garnish and serve: Garnish with chili flakes if desired, then divide between plates and serve. |
2. When Steak Met Potatoes – HelloFresh’s Finest Steak Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Baking sheet, medium pan, large pan
HelloFresh’s When Steak Met Potatoes uses high-quality but simple ingredients. These combine to make a dinner that’s hearty, satisfying, and comes in at only 525 calories and 598 mg sodium per serving. To me, there’s something primal and satisfying about steak and potatoes.
The oven-roasted potatoes and pan-cooked sirloin are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. This is already a good start, but HelloFresh takes it to the next level with peppercorn sauce and creamed kale. I feel that this really elevates the dish to a proper steakhouse level.
In this recipe, kale’s tender and flavorful juiciness is further enhanced. The ingredients that elevate the kale include sour cream sauce, roasted potatoes, and rich sirloin. Add the zing from the peppercorn sauce and Steak Meets Potatoes in a hearty yet perfectly balanced masterpiece.
Nutrition | Calories: 525 cal |
Ingredients | Sirloin steak, kale, Yukon gold potatoes, shallot, sour cream, black peppercorns, beef stock concentrate |
Essentials | Olive oil, salt, pepper |
Method | 1. Prep ingredients: Wash and dry produce. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut potatoes into wedges, chop kale, mince shallot, and crush peppercorns. 2. Roast potatoes: Toss potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet for 30-35 minutes, tossing halfway through. 3. Cook kale: Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, add kale and water, and cook until wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Sear steak: Season steak with salt and pepper. Sear in a pan over medium-high heat for 4-7 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes. 5. Make sauce and serve: Sauté shallots and peppercorns in the same pan. Add stock concentrate and water, simmer until reduced. Stir in sour cream. Warm kale with sour cream, then plate steak, potatoes, and kale. Drizzle with sauce. |
3. “Little Ears” Pasta with Broccoli & Pesto – Best Family-Friendly HelloFresh Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 25 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Large pot, strainer, large pan
If your children turn their noses up at broccoli, this tasty dish may change their minds. Orecchiette (“Little ears”) is Italy’s Apulia region’s signature pasta, where it’s often served with hot sausage and rapini (also known as broccoli rabe).
HelloFresh offers a milder take on the Apulia classic, using sweet sausage and broccoli florets. The little ears are coated in green pesto and tossed with shaved Parmesan and sweet Italian sausage. HelloFresh includes an optional pack of chili flakes in its meal kit for those who want a little heat.
With 900 calories, these little ears may not be a good choice for those on weight-loss diets. But if you want to dish up comfort food your kids will love, complete with a helping of vegetables, Little Ears Pasta with Broccoli and Pesto may turn your babies into broccoli lovers.
Nutrition | Calories: 900 cal |
Ingredients | Baby broccoli, sweet Italian pork sausage, orecchiette pasta, chili flakes, pesto, parmesan cheese |
Essentials | Olive oil, salt, pepper |
Method | 1. Prep ingredients: Wash and dry produce. Boil salted water. Trim baby broccoli into 1-inch pieces and remove sausage from casings. 2. Boil pasta: Cook orecchiette in boiling water until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain. 3. Cook baby broccoli: Sauté baby broccoli in olive oil and water, covered, for 3 minutes. Uncover, cook until browned and tender, 3-6 minutes. Season and set aside. 4. Cook sausage: Sauté sausage in the same pan until crisp and no longer pink, 4-5 minutes. Add chili flakes and cook for another 30 seconds. 5. Toss pasta and serve: Mix orecchiette, baby broccoli, pesto, pasta water, and half the Parmesan with sausage. Toss to coat. Plate and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Serve. |
4. Pan-Seared Chicken with Herbs De Provence – Best HelloFresh Calorie Smart Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Pot, small bowl, and large pan
HelloFresh spices the chicken breasts with Herbs de Provence before pan cooking. It then gets served atop an Italian-inspired base of minced shallots and farro (a nutty grain). Finally, it finishes the dish off with mozzarella and Roma tomatoes drizzled with a dressing of honey, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
If you haven’t tried Herbs de Provence yet, I highly recommend it. This southern French blend of tarragon, lavender, and a few other spices is amazingly versatile. You can use it on pork, pasta, beef, and vanilla ice cream. (Try the last one. You’ll thank me later).
At 590 calories, this dish meets HelloFresh’s Calorie Smart (under 650 calories) filter. With 38 grams of carbs and 10 grams of sugar per serving, this recipe is healthy but may not be suited for those on the strictest keto diets. However, it still fits well within the boundaries of a low-carb diet.
Nutrition | Calories: 590 cal |
Ingredients | Chicken breasts, farro, grape tomatoes, Herbs de Provence, balsamic vinegar, honey, shallot, fresh mozzarella |
Essentials | Olive oil, vegetable oil, salt, pepper |
Method | 1. Cook farro: Mince shallot. Boil water with salt, then add farro and shallot. Simmer until tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain if needed. 2. Prep ingredients: Wash produce, halve tomatoes, and cube mozzarella. 3. Butterfly chicken: Cut chicken breasts almost in half, season with salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence. 4. Make dressing: Whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Cook chicken and serve: Sear chicken until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side. Toss farro with tomatoes, mozzarella, and half the dressing. Slice chicken and serve over farro, drizzling with remaining dressing. |
5. Honey Dijon Dill Trout – Best HelloFresh Gourmet Plus Recipe
Key Features
- Total cooking time: 35 minutes
- Cooking difficulty: Medium
- Equipment: Zester, large bowl, baking sheet, paper towel, and large pan
HelloFresh’s Honey Dijon Dill Trout is a great introduction to the more challenging recipes. If you want to try 1 of HelloFresh’s higher-end Gourmet Plus meals (and you can get top-quality fresh steelhead trout), I highly recommend this recipe.
The recipe involves several steps that aren’t too difficult yet are slightly more involved than an Easy recipe. Though it features a Medium difficulty level, I personally wouldn’t worry about it. All the instructions are simple enough for a complete beginner to follow.
However, if you’re interested in “easier” meals, many HelloFresh recipes are rated Easy. But if you want to try more advanced cooking, HelloFresh’s Honey Dijon Dill Trout will reward you with a restaurant-quality meal.
Nutrition | Calories: 860 cal |
Ingredients | Steelhead trout, lemon, dill, shallot, sour cream, honey, dijon mustard, chicken stock concentrate, Yukon gold potatoes, broccoli florets, garlic |
Essentials | Cooking oil, olive oil, salt, pepper, butter |
Method | 1. Prep ingredients: Preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Slice potatoes, mince garlic and shallot, cut broccoli into bite-size pieces, chop dill, and zest and quarter lemon. 2. Roast potatoes: Toss potatoes with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast on the top rack for 10 minutes. 3. Roast broccoli: Add broccoli to the baking sheet with potatoes, toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast everything until browned and tender, 15-18 minutes. 4. Cook fish: Season trout with salt and pepper. Sear in a pan with oil, skin-side down, until crispy, 5-6 minutes. Flip and cook until done, 4-6 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. 5. Make sauce and serve: In the same pan, sauté shallot, then add mustard, stock concentrate, honey, and water. Simmer, then stir in sour cream, dill, lemon juice, and butter. Toss broccoli with lemon zest. Serve trout, potatoes, and broccoli with sauce and lemon wedges. |
6. Ginger-Turmeric Tilapia – Best HelloFresh Pescatarian Recipe
Key Features
Total prep time: 35 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Zester, small pot, large pan, medium bowl, and paper towel
This is one of the more adventurous recipes, but it's really not that difficult so long as you follow the instructions. Prepare everything ahead of time (if you were buying a kit, things would already be organized for you), and you should do fine.
It kicks mild tilapia up with a turmeric rub, then drizzles it with a pan sauce consisting of ginger, shallots, and cilantro. Jasmine rice simmered with brown sugar is tossed with lime zest and toasted coconut flakes, then placed beside the fish and crunchy steamed green beans.
At 720 calories, you’re still well within the low-calorie range. The rice and brown sugar may exclude this meal from a keto diet, but it’s certainly still adequate for a low-carb diet.
Nutrition | Calories: 720 cal |
Ingredients | Ginger, lime, cilantro, shallot, garlic, jasmine rice, brown sugar, shredded coconut, green beans, tilapia, turmeric, veggie stock concentrate |
Essentials | Vegetable oil, salt, pepper, butter |
Method | 1. Wash and prep produce: Mince ginger, shallot, and garlic; zest and quarter lime; chop cilantro. 2. Cook rice: Combine rice, water, brown sugar, and salt in a pot. Simmer until tender, 15-18 minutes. 3. Toast coconut: Toast coconut in a pan until golden, 2-3 minutes. Set aside. 4. Cook green beans: Microwave or steam green beans until tender, then toss with butter, salt, and pepper. 5. Cook tilapia and make sauce: Season tilapia with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Cook in the pan until done, 4-6 minutes per side. Make sauce with ginger, shallot, garlic, lime juice, and stock. Finish with butter and cilantro. Serve tilapia with rice, green beans, and sauce. |
7. Lemony Chicken Paillard with Sweet Potato Wedges – Best Latin American Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 35 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Medium
Equipment: Baking sheet, cutting board, knife, plus more
Argentinian cuisine doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves. It’s often overshadowed by Mexican and Brazilian food. However, this Lemony Chicken Paillard is certain to catch your attention and leave you hungry for more, especially if you love Latin American fare.
Chimichurri is inspired by Italian pesto. But where pesto is typically processed to a paste (hence the name), chimichurri is made with finely chopped herbs that retain their shape and texture. HelloFresh combines parsley, garlic, cumin, and lemon juice with olive oil for its chimichurri.
The chimichurri goes over thin, butterflied filets of lemony chicken alongside a peppery rocket (arugula) salad and roasted sweet potato wedges. Argentina shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to offering the world some of the finest food available. This Lemony Chicken Paillard is no exception in my books.
Nutrition | Calories: 506 cal |
Ingredients | Chicken breasts, arugula, lemon, garlic, parsley, cumin, sweet potatoes, grape tomatoes |
Essentials | Olive oil, salt, pepper |
Method | 1. Prep and roast sweet potato: Preheat oven to 400°F. Zest and juice the lemon, mince garlic, chop parsley, and halve tomatoes. Cut sweet potatoes into wedges, toss with olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway. 2. Butterfly and marinate chicken: Butterfly chicken breasts, then marinate in lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Make chimichurri: Combine parsley, lemon zest, remaining cumin, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Cook chicken: Sear chicken in a pan with olive oil for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through. Let rest for 2-3 minutes. 5. Dress salad and serve: Toss arugula with tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Plate chicken with sweet potato wedges and salad. Drizzle with chimichurri. |
8. One-Pot Thai Coconut Curry Turkey Soup – Most Adventurous One-Pot Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Easy
Equipment: Zester, small bowl, peeler, and large pot
HelloFresh has a good selection of One-Pot Meals that offer quick preparation and easy cleanup. So what can you cook in a single pot in 30 minutes? Try a Thai Coconut Curry Turkey Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Bell Peppers in a broth flavored with lime, ginger, and garlic.
This “Easy” recipe involves a lot of mincing, dicing, peeling, zesting, and chopping, as well as a couple of out-of-pot transfers to another dish. As with most of HelloFresh’s recipes, the method has been tried and tested to iron out any issues. So as long as you follow the instructions, you’ll be fine.
This recipe has a long shopping list, so if you’re making it outside of a HelloFresh subscription, it can be a bit fiddly to source everything you need.
Nutrition | Calories: 670 cal |
Ingredients | Ground turkey, chicken stock concentrate, garlic, yellow onion, sweet potatoes, curry powder, coconut milk, bell pepper, lime, sweet Thai chili sauce, ginger, cornstarch |
Essentials | Olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar |
Method | 1. Prep ingredients: Wash and dry produce. Dice bell pepper and sweet potato, mince garlic and ginger, dice onion, and zest and quarter lime. Mix cornstarch with water in a small bowl. 2. Cook veggies: sauté bell pepper and sweet potato in a large pot with oil, salt, and pepper until lightly browned, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 3. Cook aromatics: In the same pot, sauté garlic, ginger, and onion until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. 4. Cook turkey: Add turkey to the pot, breaking it up and cooking until browned. Season with curry powder, salt, and pepper. 5. Finish soup: Add veggies back to the pot, then stir in stock concentrates, cornstarch slurry, coconut milk, chili sauce, water, and sugar. Simmer until sweet potato is tender, 4-5 minutes. Finish with lime juice, season, and serve with lime zest and wedges. |
9. Vegetarian Paella with Sweet Peppers, Mushrooms & Rosemary – Finest Vegetarian Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 40 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Medium
Equipment: Large pan
HelloFresh offers some superb vegetarian and pescatarian options on its weekly menu. The HelloFresh cookbook includes a few very tasty vegan recipes, including this Vegetarian Paella with Sweet Peppers, Mushrooms, and Rosemary. It’s a fully vegan paella that comes in at 401 calories per serving.
The most difficult thing about this dish is the time you spend chopping vegetables and adding ingredients. I suggest you get all the ingredients prepped and ready before cooking, as they need to be added and removed during the cooking process at specific times.
HelloFresh has an extensive vegetarian selection, with a growing number of vegan meals. This vegetable paella can be enjoyed by those following a vegan diet or anyone trying to introduce more plant-based meals into their diet.
Nutrition | Calories: 401 cal |
Ingredients | Red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, garlic, Roma tomato, button mushrooms, rosemary, smoked paprika, turmeric, veggie stock concentrate, basmati rice, lemon |
Essentials | Olive oil, salt, pepper |
Method | 1. Prep ingredients: Wash and dry produce. Slice bell peppers and mushrooms, mince garlic, dice tomato, and chop rosemary. 2. Cook mushrooms: Sauté mushrooms in a pan with oil over medium-high heat until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside. 3. Cook peppers and tomato: In the same pan, sauté bell peppers and tomato with oil until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, turmeric, and paprika, cooking until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Simmer paella: Add rice and mushrooms to the pan, coating with oil. Stir in water, salt, and stock concentrate. Bring to a boil, then simmer without stirring until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. 5. Finish and serve: If needed, increase heat to high briefly to form a crispy crust on the paella. Serve hot. |
10. Steak au Poivre with Cheesy Hesselbeck Potatoes – HelloFresh’s Best Challenging Recipe
Key Features
Total cooking time: 45 minutes
Cooking difficulty: Hard
Equipment: Aluminum foil, baking sheet, cutting board, plus more
The ingredients here are very similar to those used in When Steak Met Potatoes. But while When Steak Met Potatoes is rated Easy, this one is rated Hard. So what’s the difference? There are several key differences.
This recipe expects the cook to handle several different time-sensitive tasks at once. You must keep track of potatoes in the oven while making shallot-peppercorn sauce and creamed kale on multiple burners. In addition, you have to sear the steak before finishing it in the oven. Is it possible for beginners? Sure – but you have to follow the instructions to a tee.
If that sounds like fun to you, this recipe will definitely let your culinary skills flourish. It’ll give you warm, perfectly roasted potatoes with tangy Parmesan and a rich, beefy sour cream and butter sauce with zingy peppercorns. HelloFresh’s Hard recipes are best suited for people who enjoy a kitchen challenge.
Nutrition | Calories: 773 cal |
Ingredients | Sirloin steak, Yukon gold potatoes, kale, sour cream, parmesan cheese, beef stock concentrate, shallot, black peppercorns, garlic |
Essentials | Olive oil, butter |
Method | 1. Prepare and roast potatoes: Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice thin slits into potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet for 25-35 minutes until tender and golden brown. 2. Prep ingredients: Mince shallot and garlic, slice kale leaves, and crush peppercorns. 3. Cook kale: Sauté garlic in a pan with oil, add kale and water, cook until soft, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 4. Sear steak and finish potatoes: Sear steak in a pan with oil until browned, then set aside. Sprinkle potatoes with Parmesan, add steak to the baking sheet, and roast for 4-6 minutes until steak is cooked and cheese is bubbly. 5. Make sauce and finish kale: Sauté shallots, garlic, and peppercorns in the steak pan. Add stock and water, simmer until thickened, then stir in sour cream and butter. Reheat kale with sour cream, season, and serve everything together. |
Quick Comparison Table
Prep/Cook time | Calories | Suitable For | Difficulty Level | |
One-Pan Trattoria Tortelloni Bake | 25 minutes | 750 | Veggie, Easy Cleanup, Easy Prep | Easy |
30 minutes | 525 | Gluten-Free, calorie-smart | Easy | |
“Little Ears” Pasta with Broccoli & Pesto | 25 minutes | 900 | Family-friendly, kid-friendly, spicy | Easy |
Pan-Seared Chicken with Herbs De Provence | 30 minutes | 590 | Calorie-smart | Easy |
35 minutes | 860 | Gourmet, Pescatarian | Medium | |
35 minutes | 720 | Pescatarian | Easy | |
35 minutes | 506 | Calorie-smart | Medium | |
30 minutes | 670 | Easy cleanup, spicy | Easy | |
40 minutes | 401 | Gluten-free, vegan, veggie, calorie-smart | Medium | |
45 minutes | 773 | Gourmet | Hard |
How to Choose the Best HelloFresh Recipes for Your Needs
- Refer to my HelloFresh favorite dishes: Check this list of my favorite HelloFresh dishes to find recipes that have received rave reviews for flavor and creativity. These favorites can help you choose meals that you’re likely to enjoy.
- Look for seasonal and fresh ingredients: When selecting recipes, prioritize those that highlight seasonal ingredients. Fresh produce not only enhances flavor but also provides better nutritional value.
- Assess dietary options and flexibility: Consider any dietary preferences or restrictions you have. Many HelloFresh recipes can be modified to suit different diets, such as vegetarian or low-carb, giving you flexibility in your meal planning.
FAQ
Can you choose recipes on HelloFresh?
Yes. When you sign up for a HelloFresh subscription, you answer a number of questions regarding dietary preferences. HelloFresh then uses your responses to provide suggested meals from its weekly menu. For instance, you could choose the One-Pan Trattoria Tortelloni Bake, which is ready in 25 minutes.
What are the best meals in HelloFresh?
Check out the Premium and Hall Of Fame tags for the “best” or most popular ones. When Steak Met Potatoes, not surprisingly, ranks near the top of that list. It features succulent potatoes and juicy, tender sirloin doused in an irresistible peppercorn sauce.
What is Hall Of Fame on HelloFresh?
According to HelloFresh, its Hall of Fame tag represents “the best of the best”. These are generally “tried and true recipes that have been loved.” For example, “Little Ears” Pasta with Broccoli and Pesto is a Hall of Fame recipe (which also ranks highly on my list of HelloFresh recipes).
