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Home » Recipe Collections

You’ll Want These 20 Recipes That Grandma Would Approve

Published: Jul 29, 2025 by Shruthi · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

The kind of recipes that grandma would approve don’t need much dressing up—they just work. They’re solid, familiar, and have been making people feel good for decades. These are the ones that stick around because they make sense and taste like something you want again. Not fancy, not flashy, just the kind you trust when you want real food on the table. You’ll want these because they’re the kind that actually show up when it counts.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Creamy-Meatball-Stew.jpg

Creamy Meatball Stew. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Potato Soup

A bowl of slow cooker potato soup.
Potato Soup. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

This potato soup simmers in the slow cooker and comes out thick, cheesy, and ready when you are. It’s the kind of hands-off dinner that proves why grandma-style meals still make sense.
Get the Recipe: Potato Soup

Homemade Matzo Ball Soup

Close up on 3 matzo balls in soup.
Homemade Matzo Ball Soup. Photo credit: At the Immigrant's Table.

Matzo balls with oniony broth bring back the kind of depth you only get from older recipes. It’s easy to picture this one on grandma’s regular meal list.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Matzo Ball Soup

Mushroom Barley Soup

An image of mushroom barley soup in a bowl.
Mushroom Barley Soup. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Mushroom barley soup needs just one pot and keeps things straightforward. It’s the kind of everyday comfort grandma never needed a reason to make.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Barley Soup

Quick And Easy Cowboy Stew

A bowl of cowboy stew.
Quick And Easy Cowboy Stew. Photo credit: Little House Big Alaska.

A mix of smoked sausage, bacon, and beef makes this stew heavy-hitting and simple to prep. Grandma didn’t wait for a party to put something like this on the stove.
Get the Recipe: Quick And Easy Cowboy Stew

Creamy Meatball Stew

A bowl of Creamy Meatball Stew with peas.
Creamy Meatball Stew. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Meatball stew pulls together quick using everyday ingredients that don’t cut corners. It’s exactly the kind of practical, hearty meal grandma would’ve leaned on.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Meatball Stew

Salisbury Steak

White plate with salisbury steak on it and a mushroom on top of them.
Salisbury Steak. Photo credit: Fitasamamabear.

These beef patties cook low and slow in mushroom gravy until everything’s fork-tender. It’s a classic kind of comfort that grandma always had ready for a full table.
Get the Recipe: Salisbury Steak

Easy Beef Stew

Beef stew in yellow bowls.
Easy Beef Stew. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Hearty beef stew keeps things classic with slow cooking and no shortcuts. It’s the kind of recipe that earned a regular spot in grandma’s kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Easy Beef Stew

Roast Beef Shepherd’s Pie

An image of Leftover Roast Beef Shepherd’s Pie.
Roast Beef Shepherd’s Pie. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Leftover roast beef gets a second life with this easy shepherd’s pie. It’s smart cooking that would’ve fit right in with how grandma did things.
Get the Recipe: Roast Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Potato And Sausage Chowder

Overhead image of cozy bowl of potato and sausage chowder with breads on the side.
Potato And Sausage Chowder. Photo credit: Parallel Plates.

Sausage, potatoes, and broth come together in one pot for a no-nonsense dinner. It feels like something grandma would’ve made without thinking twice.
Get the Recipe: Potato And Sausage Chowder

Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie with Guinness

Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie with Guinness in a pan.
Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie with Guinness. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

With stout, meat, and potatoes, this shepherd’s pie lands heavy in the best way. It’s got that kind of all-in flavor grandma knew was always worth making.
Get the Recipe: Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie with Guinness

Ratatouille

An image of ratatouille on a plate with bread.
Ratatouille. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Slow cooker ratatouille turns a bunch of vegetables into something deeper with barely any work. Grandma would’ve called this a smart midweek dinner.
Get the Recipe: Ratatouille

Corned Beef Au Gratin

Top view of Corned Beef Au Gratin.
Corned Beef Au Gratin. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Corned beef hash au gratin layers potatoes and cheese into something hearty and filling. It’s proof grandma didn’t need a holiday to bring real food to the table.
Get the Recipe: Corned Beef Au Gratin

Minestrone

An overhead image of a bowl of minestrone soup served in a white bowl, accompanied by a spoon on the side and a white cloth underneath.
Minestrone. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Packed with beans and vegetables, this Instant Pot soup pulls off big flavor fast. It checks all the boxes for the kind of smart, simple food grandma trusted.
Get the Recipe: Minestrone

Lamb Stew (Irish Stew)

Lamb Stew (Irish Stew) in a pot.
Lamb Stew (Irish Stew). Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Irish lamb stew makes the most of a few ingredients and slow cooking. It’s exactly the kind of steady, filling dinner grandma never waited to serve.
Get the Recipe: Lamb Stew (Irish Stew)

Venison Stew

Venison stew in a red pot with a wooden spoon.
Venison Stew. Photo credit: An Off Grid Life.

Venison stew with vegetables goes low and slow for big results without the stress. It’s the kind of solid, full meal grandma knew how to make work.
Get the Recipe: Venison Stew

Irish Dublin Coddle

Irish Dublin Coddle top view.
Irish Dublin Coddle. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Potatoes, sausage, and onions come together in broth for a rich and easy meal. It’s the sort of no-frills dinner grandma made on any regular night.
Get the Recipe: Irish Dublin Coddle

Sunday Homestyle Chicken

Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans on a plate with a fork.
Sunday Homestyle Chicken. Photo credit: Thriving In Parenting.

Crispy on the outside and tender inside, this chicken skips the drive-thru and gets it right. It’s one of those meals grandma made just because it was worth it.
Get the Recipe: Sunday Homestyle Chicken

Beef Stew Goulash

Goulash inside white casserole.
Beef Stew Goulash. Photo credit: Low Carb - No Carb.

Instant Pot beef stew locks in flavor fast and still tastes like it took all day. Grandma would’ve been all for something this rich on a busy night.
Get the Recipe: Beef Stew Goulash

Pot Roast

A picture of Slow Cooker Pot Roast with carrot and parsnip.
Pot Roast. Photo credit: Primal Edge Health.

This pot roast uses the slow cooker to bring tender beef and soft vegetables together with no stress. It’s a classic meal grandma never needed a reason to make.
Get the Recipe: Pot Roast

Grandma's Hearty Offal Stew

Organ Meat Stew with parsley garnish.
Grandma's Hearty Offal Stew. Photo credit: Primal Edge Health.

Made with heart and kidney, this old-school stew keeps waste low and flavor high. It’s a bold, smart choice grandma would’ve stood by every time.
Get the Recipe: Grandma's Hearty Offal Stew

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Hi, I'm Shruthi! I am the owner and blogger at Parallel Plates. I love everything about food, and I hope that you can find the best recipe inspiration, trends, hacks, and more here.

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