12 Time-Consuming Recipes That Are Totally Worth the Effort

When a long weekend rolls around, it's the perfect opportunity to tackle those time-intensive recipes you've been eyeing. These dishes require a bit more love and patience, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.

Table of Contents

1. BBQ Meat
2. Ramen
3. Lasagna
4. French Onion Soup
5. Tamales
6. Dumpling Varieties
7. Beef Bourguignon
8. Pho
9. Cassoulet
10. Beef Wellington
11. Curry
12. Gumbo
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1. BBQ Meat

BBQ meat can be quick, but if you want to make a smoky, pulled type of meat, this can take hours or maybe even days, depending on your level of commitment. The key to making top-quality BBQ meat is taking your time and letting it cook as slowly as possible, whether in a crockpot or fancy smoker.

2. Ramen

While the internet is filled with “quick and easy” ramen recipes that take less than 30 minutes, truly good ramen takes hours. If you want to develop those rich and cozy flavors thoroughly, the soup will be simmering for over five hours. While it’s a significant time commitment, it’s worth it to achieve the authentic richness of this Japanese noodle dish. Get the recipe

3. Lasagna

Lasagna doesn’t take quite as long as ramen, but it’s still a lengthy process, especially if you make the red sauce from scratch. Along with creating the tasty Italian sauce, you must make the ricotta mixture, ground beef, and noodles. Then comes the careful process of constructing the layers. And after that, it still has to go in the oven for about an hour! Get the recipe

4. French Onion Soup

Sure, you can make French Onion soup in 30 minutes, but that’s not the most authentic way. Online recipes make it seem like sweating and caramelizing onions is a 10-minute process, but to do it properly, the onions should be simmering on low for at least an hour.

5. Tamales

Close up of handmade Hot Tamales with shallow depth of field. — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Tamales can also be a lengthy process, but they’re so worth it. Again, you can find shortcut recipes that take less than an hour, but proper tamales are a two to three-hour project. The most time-consuming part is probably wrapping up the tamales, but that’s also the most fun part! Get the recipe

6. Dumpling Varieties

Dumplings with soy sauce — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Every dumpling-like food, from wontons to samosas to gyoza to dim sum to momos, takes a while to get right. You must cook the filling, make the wrapper or dough, carefully construct the dumplings, and then cook them again. It’s best to set aside a whole Sunday for this dish. Why not make a bit of a party out of it, and have one person in charge of each step!

7. Beef Bourguignon

Boeuf Bourguignon is one of Julia Child’s signature dishes, so if you’re wondering if it’s worth the 3+ hours it takes to make, it certainly is. It’s a type of beef stew slowly braised in red wine with an assortment of vegetables. It’s the ultimate comfort meal, but it takes some time.

8. Pho

Much like ramen, pho takes several hours to fully and thoroughly develop the mouthwatering flavors. This Vietnamese noodle soup can take between three to seven hours to make, depending on how much time you’re willing to dedicate, but the longer, the better.

9. Cassoulet

Cassoulet is another incredible French dish, but it takes quite a bit of time to make correctly. It’s probably the most time-consuming dish on this list. This pork and bean stew requires overnight marinating and soaking, followed by hours of simmering and roasting. It can take anywhere between 12 and 60 hours!

10. Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington is a dish that takes a lot of precise timing and thoughtfulness. It’s a juicy steak slathered in duxelle (a mince of mushrooms, onions, herbs, and black pepper, sautéed in butter and reduced to a paste), covered in bacon, and then wrapped in puff pastry. There are many steps, but you also have to account for resting time in between steps. Get the recipe

11. Curry

Homemade chicken curry — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You can whip up a hearty curry in 30 minutes, but it will never be as good as a curry that has been simmering for a while. Curries require a large helping and assortment of spices, and the longer you allow these spices to cook down and meld together, the richer and more complex the flavor profile will be. The best curries simmer for well over an hour.

12. Gumbo

Like curry, gumbo needs time for the spices to marry one another. This classic Louisiana dish, featuring shrimp, sausage, vegetables, and a robust flavor, is best cooked for around four hours. A 30-minute gumbo recipe won’t satisfy the same way a four-hour one will.

Source: Reddit.