For the better part—if not all—of our lives, Friends has been a beloved sitcom for many individuals including myself. Being an avid fan, I have rewatched every episode countless times.
While researching more about the show, I discovered that the first episode of Friends premiered on September 22, 1994, meaning that the 25th anniversary of Friends being on air is only four months away.
When I learned this, I took it upon myself to rewatch every episode and note down each food moment. From that extended list, I condensed them down to 25 of the most iconic and replicable food moments, since not everyone can make duck confit with broccoli rabe like Monica.
You may ask, why 25? The reason is simple: one recipe for each year Friends has been on air—hence, 25 recipes for 25 years of Friends.
Without further ado, here are 25 Friends recipes you can recreate at your home for your next binge session.
1. Season One: “The One with the Dozen Lasagnas”
Monica makes a dozen lasagnas for her aunt who later refuses to take them from her because the lasagna had meat on every third layer. Now left with all the lasagnas, Monica desperately hands out lasagnas—including to Paolo, who was simultaneously dating Rachel and hitting on Phoebe.
As a dozen lasagnas is a ridiculous amount to make, this lasagna bites recipe is simple and perfect for any occasion. At my house, I always help my grandma make lasagna using this recipe. We use a soy protein alternative instead of meat, and you can do the same.
2. Season Two: “The One with Phoebe’s Dad”
At Christmas time, it is customary to exchange gifts with friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. During this Christmas Special, Monica and Rachel make homemade cookies to give to others instead of gifts or money. Their Christmas cookies become an instant hit with everyone, including the building superintendent.
Christmas is always the sweetest time of the year with all the cookies, candies, and parties. In my opinion, there is nothing better than grandma’s Christmas cookies. With this recipe on-hand, you can have the memories and comfort of Christmas all year round.
3. Season Two: “The One with Russ”
After going for an audition, Joey finds out that he has to sleep with the casting agent to get his first big part. Out of stress, Joey makes jar after jar of his homemade pasta sauce while he decides what to do.
Pasta sauce is the perfect partner in crime to any pasta dish. Make your own pasta sauce from scratch the next time you have spaghetti. Homemade pasta sauce is superior to store-bought varieties since you can customize the sauce to your taste buds.
4. Season Three: “The One with the Jam”
In an attempt to get over Richard, Monica decides to enter the jam making business. After making hundreds of jars and realizing that she will not be able to make her money back, Monica moves on to thinking about having a baby instead.
Making jam has always been something I want to try. Raspberry jam is my absolute favorite, and after finding this simple recipe, it couldn’t be easier to give it a try.
5. Season 2 and 3: Moondance Diner
After getting fired from Iridium, Monica struggles to find work again and settles for working at Moondance Diner. There, she wears roller skates, serves customers, and dances whenever YMCA is played on the jukebox.
My dad came up with this lamb burger recipe which he makes on burger nights. These lamb burgers would beat all the burgers Monica served at Moondance any day of the week.
6. Season Four: “The One with Chandler in a Box”
Each season of Friends would not be complete without a Thanksgiving dinner—complete with the vast spread cooked by Monica and the iconic shenanigans of all the characters. In the Season 4 Thanksgiving Special, the spread includes your typical Thanksgiving fare: yams, mashed potatoes, turkey, green beans, bread rolls, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.
Being from an Indian family, we do not have a typical Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, my sister and I started a tradition of going to Boston Market on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. Rather than going out, try making your own Thanksgiving spread using these delicious recipes for all the turkey, sides, and desserts you will need.
7. Season Five: “The One Ross’s Sandwich”
Another iconic Thanksgiving moment is Ross’s Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich. Ross essentially throws a hissy fit after he finds out that someone at work ate “the only good thing going on” in his life. Monica makes a second sandwich for Ross—however, Ross throws another fit after finding out that his boss threw away the uneaten bits of the sandwich.
I was a little skeptical about this leftovers sandwich until I tried it myself. The Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich was surprisingly tasty, and I would make it again even without any leftovers. Make sure you don’t forget the slice of gravy-soaked bread moist-maker!
8. Season Five: “The One Where Rachel Smokes”
In this episode, Monica and Phoebe are planning Rachel’s surprise birthday party. Being the mom-friend she is, Monica takes over the entire planning process—leaving Phoebe in charge of only cups and ice. Obviously, Phoebe goes all out with cup decorations, three different varieties of ice, and snow cones.
At the party, the snow cones are more popular than Monica’s Tuscan finger foods. Snow cones are perfect for the upcoming summer weather. Make some snow cones with homemade syrup the next time you need a cooling sweet treat.
9. Season Five: “The One with the Ride-Along”
Joey loves his food and in this episode, the audience is shown how much. Ross, Chandler, and Joey go on a ride-along with Gary—Phoebe’s cop boyfriend. During a car backfire, Joey leans over Ross seemingly to protect him. Later, Joey reveals to Chandler that he was trying to save his meatball sandwich—”the greatest sandwich in the world” according to Joey.
Meatball subs are a personal favorite of mine and are simple to make as they only require bread, meatballs, marinara, and mozzarella. Put a spin on this classic by making Meatball sliders instead.
10. Season Six: “The One Where Ross Got High”
To change things up, during yet another Thanksgiving dinner, Rachel makes dessert. Due to pages in the recipe book being stuck together, Rachel makes half a traditional English trifle and half a shepherd’s pie. In order to not discourage Rachel, the gang along with Mr. and Mrs. Geller eat—or discretely throw away—the servings of the disgusting trifle.
Honestly, I was a little hesitant to add this one to the list as I personally would never want to put meat in a dessert. If you are hesitant, a good alternative I discovered is using chocolate shavings instead. It looks identical to meat, so I was able to fool fellow Spoon members when I made the English Meat Trifle in this altered form.
11. Season Six: “The One with Unagi”
In an attempt to make up for forgetting to make Chandler a Valentine’s Day gift, Monica agrees to make Chandler whatever he wants in the kitchen and do whatever he wants in the bedroom. Following up on that promise, Monica makes Chandler’s third favorite meal: Macaroni and cheese with cut-up hot dogs.
Coincidently, Chandler’s favorite meal happens to be what my mom used to make regularly for school lunches. You can make your own by adding cut-up sausage pieces into this delicious mac and cheese recipe.
12. Season Seven: “The One with Phoebe’s Cookies”
Frantically to replicate Phoebe’s grandmother’s chocolate chip cookies, Monica makes batches of cookies from countless recipes. Eventually, Monica finds out that the recipe originated from Nestlée Toulousé—or Nestle Tollhouse since us “Americans always butcher the French language.”
There is nothing better than a good chocolate chip cookie. Using this recipe from Nestlé, you too can make the perfect chocolate chip cookies without needing to try over 18 batches.
13. Season Seven: “The One with All the Candy”
Monica is always on a mission to please and impress everyone around her. In an attempt to win over her neighbors and get to know them, Monica makes homemade candy which she places in a basket on the door.
Calling them “little drops of heaven,” Monica’s candies win over everyone until her neighbors become obsessed and demand more of the delicious candies. With this chocolate truffle recipe, you can make these heavenly candies to try yourself.
14. Season Seven: “The One with All the Cheesecakes”
Sometimes, packages can get delivered to the wrong address. In this episode, Chandler keeps incorrectly receiving—and eating—the mouthwatering New York-style cheesecake from Mama’s Little Bakery in Chicago, Illinois. Eventually, Rachel joins him and together, the two of them eat two whole cheesecakes.
Since there isn’t even a Mama’s Little Bakery in Chicago, you can satisfy your cheesecake cravings by using my all-time favorite cheesecake recipe for white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.
#SpoonTip: Try different jams like strawberry, skip the jam entirely to make it NY style, or even make it eggless by using an egg substitute. Either way, it won’t compromise the taste.
15. Season Eight: “The One with the Birthing Video”
Coming back from Atlantic City, Ross’s girlfriend at the time gifts him a box of salt water taffy. Ross, being the nerd he is, makes sure to point out that salt water taffy is made from salted fresh water rather than salt water. With that interesting fact in mind, try out this salt water taffy recipe to share with your friends.
16. Season Eight: “The One Where Rachel Is Late”
When Rachel is overdue to deliver her daughter, her doctor suggested various methods to induce labor—one being eating extremely spicy foods. Ross and Rachel then proceed to have enchiladas with a spread of hot sauce and peppers. While you don’t have to eat enchiladas soaring on the Scoville scale, you can make this innovative enchilada casserole as spicy as you can handle.
17. Season Nine: “The One with the Male Nanny”
Looking for a nanny to help take care of their daughter, Ross and Rachel end up trying out a manny—a male nanny. In an attempt to win the new parents over, the manny makes French cookies called madeleines. Unlike what Ross implies, anyone can make madeleines using this lemon madeleines recipe.
18. Season Nine: “The One with Rachel’s Dream”
Monica and Chandler planned a romantic getaway to Vermont, but with Monica’s work, Ross ends up taking Monica’s place. On the way to the hotel, Ross and Chandler stop at every maple candy store where Ross then proceeds to eat all the candy meant to be given out as gifts.
Unless you are heading to Vermont, you won’t be able to readily purchase maple candies. With this simple maple candy recipe, you will be able to make your own using only one ingredient: maple syrup.
19. Season Ten: “The One Where Ross is Fine”
When Ross finds out that Joey and Rachel want to date each other, he holds a dinner at his place for himself, Joey, Rachel, and Charlie. Ross makes an entire Mexican spread including margaritas—which he gets super drunk on—and then proceeds to burn himself when taking fajitas out of the oven with his bare hands.
Unlike Ross, be sure to wear gloves when you take your mouthwatering fajitas out of the oven. Serve alongside guacamole and chips. Compliment your Mexican spread with a homemade flan which is the perfect balance of caramel and creamy custard.
20. Season Ten: “The One with the Birth Mother”
After his date steals french fries off of his plate, Joey confesses that he doesn’t share food. During their next date, Joey’s date orders the chocolate torte, and like him, she doesn’t share with Joey. So, when his date goes to the bathroom, Joey devours the chocolate torte she left at the table.
Since this flourless chocolate torte was made to be shared, you do not have to be like Joey and eat the entire torte…or will you?
21. Reoccurring: Pizza
Throughout episodes of Friends, Joey, in particular, is always craving pepperoni pizza—or any pizza for that matter. The entire gang has countless pizza moments such as in “The One Where Ross Can’t Flirt” where Ross continues ordering pizza after pizza to flirt with the delivery girl.
To avoid similar awkward flirting situations or if all those late night pizza slices are racking up in cost, try making your own pizza at home using your favorite toppings. Or try a pizzadilla—an ingenious combination of pizza and quesadillas.
22. Reoccurring: Scones
At Central Perk, the coffee shop that the Friends gang frequents, one of the many food items often ordered is scones. Just like Joey and Chandler, scones are the perfect combination with a cup of coffee. Scones are amazing since they are easily customizable to different flavor combinations like this lemon and cranberry scone.
23. Reoccurring: Muffins
Another pastry item that the gang frequently orders is muffins. During one particular occasion, Ross asks Rachel what she wants from Central Perk. When she takes too long to decide which muffin to eat, Ross mocks her saying deciding on a muffin flavor is more important than deciding to marry someone.
Rachel ends up deciding to get a blueberry muffin. Unlike Rachel, after trying out this blueberry muffin recipe, you won’t take long to decide to make them again.
24. & 25. Reoccurring: Coffee
Coffee is a central beverage in Friends. The go-to meeting space for Joey, Phoebe, Monica, Chandler, Ross, and Rachel is Central Perk. I wouldn’t be surprised if the gang has coffee running through their veins with the amount of times they sit around on the couches each episode with a mug in hand.
This Friends recipe compilation would not be complete without a few different recipes regarding how to make amazing cups of coffee. Up your coffee game with a Vietnamese iced coffee or a Vanilla Latte.
After rewatching Friends, I realized how big of a role food plays in the show. Being on air for what will soon be 25 years in September 2019, Friends has made a huge impact on millions of people, including myself. Now that Friends has been renewed on Netflix for another year, gather your friends to have a Friends binge-watching session and potluck complete with all the iconic food moments.