There’s something about the dishes from 1975 that still hold a place at the table today. These 32 old-school American recipes bring back everything people loved about home cooking back then—no shortcuts, just meals that made sense. They’re rich in tradition, packed with comfort, and built to stick in your memory. If you’ve ever wished you were around when casseroles ruled the table and dinner always meant seconds, this is for you.
Cheesy Turkey French Toast Bake
Casserole-style brunch bakes were a go-to move in 1975 for feeding a crowd with little effort. This cheesy French toast bake layers bread, eggs, and turkey into something that fits right into that era’s love for comfort food. It’s baked golden and served straight from the dish—simple, hearty, and no frills. It feels like the kind of breakfast that came out of every mom’s oven on a Saturday morning.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Turkey French Toast Bake
Cheesy Cabbage Casserole
Cabbage casseroles made regular appearances on American dinner tables in the '70s thanks to their practicality and flavor. This one mixes tender cabbage with cheese and a crunchy topping, baked into a side dish that could easily pass for a main. It’s the kind of meal that stretched a budget while still feeling like something special. One bite and you’re back in grandma’s kitchen on a Wednesday night.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Cabbage Casserole
Old-Fashioned Lattice Top Apple Pie
Apple pie was the dessert of record in 1975, especially one with a classic hand-woven lattice top. It was all about flaky crust, spiced apples, and that unmistakable aroma filling the house. This one sticks to everything that made it timeless, from the filling to the golden top. If you grew up with pies like this, you didn’t need store-bought anything.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Lattice Top Apple Pie
Easy Vegetarian Seven Layer Dip
Seven-layer dip hit its peak in the 1970s when layered party foods were all the rage. This version keeps it classic with beans, sour cream, guac, and shredded cheese stacked in a dish meant for sharing. It was fridge-friendly, no-cook, and showed up at every gathering with chips on the side. Dips like this made sure nobody left the party hungry.
Get the Recipe: Easy Vegetarian Seven Layer Dip
Basil Peach Cobbler
Peach cobbler was a dessert that made regular appearances in 1970s homes, especially during the summer. With soft fruit baked under a crisp biscuit topping, it was always a hit at cookouts and Sunday dinners. This version brings in a hint of basil for a slightly updated flavor while keeping the texture and feel rooted in the past. It’s the kind of dessert that would’ve been passed down in a stained recipe card.
Get the Recipe: Basil Peach Cobbler
Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cognac-Soaked Raisins
Noodle kugel was a dish many families—especially Jewish-American ones—served in 1975 for both holidays and everyday meals. This version folds in cognac-soaked raisins and creamy layers that bake into something rich and familiar. It walks the line between sweet and savory, just like the ones that came out of grandma’s oven. You didn’t need a special occasion to make it, but it sure felt like one.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cognac-Soaked Raisins
Ground Beef Zucchini and Rice Casserole
Hearty casseroles like this were dinner staples in 1975, built around simple ingredients that filled the whole table. This one combines beef, rice, and zucchini into a baked meal that’s easy to prep and easier to clean up. One-dish dinners were key to surviving the week without takeout or microwave meals. Recipes like this were how moms got it done every single night.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Zucchini and Rice Casserole
Easy Ground Beef Nachos
By the mid-'70s, nachos had made their way from restaurants to American kitchens as a casual dinner or game day snack. This version layers seasoned ground beef, beans, and cheese over tortilla chips—straightforward and built to feed a crowd. It’s fast, fun, and one of those dishes that didn’t need instructions. This was Friday night food before delivery apps were even a thing.
Get the Recipe: Easy Ground Beef Nachos
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Pumpkin pie was already a classic by 1975, and mini versions made it easier to serve at bake sales and family events. With flaky crusts and spiced filling, they carry all the nostalgia of a big pie in just a few bites. These were the treats people grabbed by the handful before dinner was even served. Nothing said fall like a tray of these cooling on the counter.
Get the Recipe: Mini Pumpkin Pies
Easy Beef Pot Pie
Beef pot pie was a dish that made you feel like you were eating something that took all day—even if it didn’t. With chunks of beef, vegetables, and savory gravy baked under a flaky crust, it was pure comfort in a single pan. In 1975, this was the kind of dinner that got everyone to sit down at the same time. It wasn’t fancy, but it didn’t need to be.
Get the Recipe: Easy Beef Pot Pie
Savory French Toast Casserole with Bacon
Savory breakfast casseroles were a smart way to feed a full house in the 1970s without standing at the stove. This one combines bread, bacon, and eggs in a dish that bakes up crisp on top and tender in the middle. It could be made ahead, baked the next morning, and served with nothing more than a pot of coffee. It’s the kind of breakfast that filled tables before brunch was even a trend.
Get the Recipe: Savory French Toast Casserole with Bacon
Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole was practically required at every holiday in 1975, often made with pantry staples and topped with fried onions. This version updates the process for a slow cooker while keeping the original flavor and feel. It’s still creamy, crunchy, and nostalgic in every bite. If it’s on the table, you know it’s a proper gathering.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole
School Cafeteria Mac and Cheese
The baked mac and cheese served in school cafeterias had a crusty top, gooey center, and no shortage of memories. This version sticks to that same baked comfort, right down to the familiar golden color. It’s made for big trays and big appetites, just like the ones dished out at lunchtime. It’s the kind of mac that makes you wish you could go back for seconds.
Get the Recipe: School Cafeteria Mac and Cheese
Smoked Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Pulled pork sandwiches were a cookout staple in 1975, especially with that slow-smoked flavor and tangy sauce. Piled on a soft bun and topped with slaw, it was the kind of meal you ate with both hands and a paper towel. This recipe brings it back to backyard parties and picnic tables. One bite and you’re back to folding chairs and lemonade stands.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Grasshopper Pie
Grasshopper pie had its moment in the '70s with its unmistakable green filling and cool, minty taste. Made with crème de menthe and chocolate cookie crust, it stood out on any dessert table. It was flashy, fun, and required no baking—exactly the kind of recipe that defined the decade. You didn’t need to be born in 1975 to know this pie was a party hit.
Get the Recipe: Grasshopper Pie
Grandma’s Cornbread
Cornbread was the kind of side that went with just about everything in 1975, from stews to Sunday roasts. Baked in a cast iron skillet, it had a crispy edge and a soft center that soaked up gravy without falling apart. It didn’t take a lot of ingredients, just a good hand and a hot oven. You could smell this one coming from a room away.
Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Cornbread
Lime Jello Salad
Jello salads were a full-blown phenomenon in 1975, combining fruit, cream, and gelatin into a molded dessert that was all about presentation. This lime version kept things simple, sweet, and just strange enough to be memorable. It was served with pride and always sparked conversation. Every fridge had at least one bowl of this chilling before a potluck.
Get the Recipe: Lime Jello Salad
Chicken Pot Pie with Tarragon Gravy
Chicken pot pie was the weeknight dinner that tasted like a special occasion in the 1970s. Filled with gravy, vegetables, and flaky crust, it was easy to stretch and hard to forget. The tarragon in this version adds just enough to make it stand out without breaking the rules. It’s the kind of meal that made you happy to eat at home.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie with Tarragon Gravy
Pulled Pork Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs were a social event food in 1975, passed around at every wedding, reunion, and church potluck. This version adds a bit of pulled pork for extra depth without changing the basic idea. They’re creamy, rich, and just enough to keep you reaching for another. These would’ve made waves on a folding table lined with Pyrex dishes.
Get the Recipe: Pulled Pork Deviled Eggs
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff was the kind of recipe you clipped from a magazine and taped to the fridge in 1975. With tender meat, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce, it hit every comfort note imaginable. The slow cooker just makes it easier, but the flavor still sticks to the past. You know it’s good when the sauce coats the noodles just right.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili
Cincinnati chili gained traction in the 1970s with its unexpected mix of spices and the way it was served—right over spaghetti. It stood apart from classic chili, and that’s what made it stick. This slow cooker version brings back that quirky tradition with ease. It's the kind of meal that made mid-century cooks proud to go their own way.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili
Chicken Divan
Chicken Divan was a creamy casserole that showed up on many 1975 dinner tables, often topped with breadcrumbs or cheese. It was one of those dependable meals that used up leftovers and still felt complete. Made with broccoli and a smooth sauce, it was easy to prep and hard to forget. It’s the kind of dish that made casserole night something to look forward to.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Divan
Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes were the messiest, most fun dinner a kid could ask for in 1975. Loaded onto buns and dripping with sauce, they were a hit with both school lunch trays and family tables. This version keeps all that saucy nostalgia with a bit of cleanup-friendly ease. Some weeknights just aren’t complete without one.
Get the Recipe: Sloppy Joes
Cornbread Stuffing
Stuffing made with cornbread was a holiday must in the South and beyond during the 1970s. Bacon, vegetables, and crumbled cornbread baked into a side dish that could steal the show. It was rich, savory, and made to fill the house with good smells. Bringing it back now is like setting the clock to dinnertime at grandma’s.
Get the Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing
Lamb Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie made with lamb was one of those old-fashioned dinners that didn’t need a recipe—just meat, mashed potatoes, and instinct. It filled the pan, the plate, and the whole house with comfort. This version holds onto everything that made it work in 1975. One scoop and you’re back at the table before microwaves ruled the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Lamb Shepherd’s Pie
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tuna noodle casserole was a weeknight fallback in the 1970s when dinner needed to be cheap, fast, and filling. With canned tuna, creamy soup, and egg noodles, it was easy to prep and stretched to feed a crowd. This updated take keeps those familiar ingredients with a little less salt and a little more balance. Sometimes all a recipe needs is to be remembered.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Noodle Casserole
Crock-Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole showed up next to every holiday ham and turkey in 1975, often topped with marshmallows or brown sugar. It was sweet enough to be dessert but always called a side. This slow cooker version keeps the spirit while freeing up oven space. If the smell hits you first, you’ll know it’s doing its job.
Get the Recipe: Crock-Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
Best Easy and Creamy Squash Casserole
Squash casserole didn’t need to be flashy to win over the 1970s dinner crowd. It was soft in the center, crisp on top, and never left behind. This version captures that creamy center with minimal effort. It’s the kind of dish that proves casseroles were always the backbone of the meal.
Get the Recipe: Best Easy and Creamy Squash Casserole
Crock-Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings was the dish that felt like a hug in a bowl back in 1975. Made with slow-cooked chicken and pillowy dumplings, it turned a few ingredients into something much bigger. This crock-pot method lets it simmer all day, just like it used to. Some recipes stay around because nothing else quite replaces them.
Get the Recipe: Crock-Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Salisbury Steak in the Slow Cooker
Salisbury steak was a fixture in TV dinners and family meals alike in the mid-'70s. It came with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, and that unmistakable smell of something hearty baking in the oven. The slow cooker version keeps the flavor and skips the oven. If you’re craving a classic that doesn’t cut corners, this one delivers.
Get the Recipe: Salisbury Steak in the Slow Cooker
Chicken on the Ritz Casserole
Chicken and Ritz cracker casserole was one of those recipes passed around on handwritten cards and made with whatever you had on hand. Creamy, crunchy, and always dependable, it turned pantry staples into a complete meal. It showed up at weeknight tables, church dinners, and everywhere in between. You didn’t need to be born in 1975 to appreciate how well it worked.
Get the Recipe: Chicken on the Ritz Casserole
Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
Meatloaf was the centerpiece of countless Sunday dinners in the 1970s, served thick-sliced with mashed potatoes and green beans. This version echoes the ones served in diners and home kitchens alike, finished with a sweet tomato glaze. It’s baked, sliced, and served up just like it used to be. For anyone who remembers the smell of meatloaf in the oven, this one brings it all back.
Get the Recipe: Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
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