The 2025 season of My Kitchen Rules has officially kicked off and already the contestants’ Instant Restaurant recipes have showcased incredible creativity and flavour.
Below we’ve rounded up the top-scoring recipes from this season so you can enjoy them at home!
The best recipes from My Kitchen Rules 2025:
Lol and Lil’s Lemon Meringue Pie
Lol and Lil’s best scoring Instant Restaurant dish was their dessert: Lemon Meringue Pie.
Both Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge scored it a seven out of 10.
Ingredients
Dried lemon slices, to decorate
125g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
125g butter, at room temperature
675g caster sugar
2 eggs
40ml milk
4 gold strength gelatine leaves
200g butter, chopped
4 eggs, lightly whisked
2 tbs finely grated lemon rind
250ml lemon juice
185g plain flour
40g icing sugar
125g unsalted butter, chopped
1 egg yolk
2 tsp iced water
50g sugar
110ml water
2 tbs glucose syrup
2 egg whites
Method
- Lightly grease six holes of a 160ml capacity silicone loaf pan with vegetable oil.
- Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm square cake pan. Line with baking paper.
- To make sponge cake, combine flour and baking powder in a bowl.
- Place butter and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk until pale and creamy, scraping down sides as necessary. With motor operating, add eggs one at a time until combined. Add flour mixture and milk and fold to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes or until firm to touch. Cool in pan.
- Remove cake from pan and cut out six small rectangles, slightly smaller than the dimensions of your silicone pan holes. Reserve remaining cake for another use.
- To make lemon curd, soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Place the sugar, butter and eggs in a saucepan. Add the lemon rind and juice. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 mins or until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Squeeze excess water out of gelatine leaves and add to curd. Stir until melted and combined. Strain the curd through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Half fill the six prepared silicone mould pan holes with lemon curd. Add sponge rectangles. Top with curd. Freeze until firm enough to unmould easily.
- Line a large oven tray with baking paper.
- To make pastry, process flour, icing sugar and butter until crumbly. Add egg yolk and enough of the water until a dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Roll out dough between two sheets of plastic wrap until about 5mm thick. Cut out six rectangles, the same length as the pan holes, but 1 ½ times the width. This will allow room for the meringue to be piped alongside the lemon curd bar, once it is sat on top of its pastry base. Place pastry rectangles on prepared tray.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Cool completely.
- To make sugar glaze, stir all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until smooth and combined. Cool completely. Lightly brush over the unmoulded lemon curd bars to glaze.
- To make meringue, whisk egg whites in an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Stir sugar and the water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to 115C.
- With motor operating, drizzle hot syrup into egg whites, whisking until meringue is thick and glossy. Transfer to a piping bag.
- To assemble dessert, place pastry rectangles on serving plates. Top with glazed lemon curd bars and decorate with a dried lemon slice. Add a row of piped meringue. Blowtorch meringue until golden.
Maria and Bailey’s Spanakopita Ravioli with Feta Crème, Crispy Leeks and Dill Oil
Judges Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge scored Maria and Bailey’s entrée a 10 out of 10 and nine out of 10.
Manu said the Spanakopita Ravioli with Feta Crème, Crispy Leeks and Dill Oil was “absolutely delicious” before adding, “technique, flavour and textures – tick, tick, tick.”
Ingredients
½ leek, thinly sliced (white part)
½ leek, finely chopped (pale green part)
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
½ cup dill leaves
125ml light olive oil
160g 00 flour
1 tsp salt
1 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
150g feta
150ml thickened cream
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 tbs olive oil
1 small eschallot, finely chopped
100g baby spinach, finely chopped
150g feta, crumbled
Method
- To make the dill oil, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add herbs and cook for 20 seconds. Drain and transfer to an ice bath for 2 minutes. Remove from ice bath and squeeze out excess water. Transfer herbs to a small blender with the oil and pinch of salt. Blend for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into a muslin-lined sieve set over a bowl. Set aside for 1 hour to drain. Transfer oil to a bottle. Discard solids.
- To make pasta, pulse flour and salt to combine in a processor to combine. Add eggs and yolks. Process to form a crumbly dough. Sift flour and salt onto a clean work bench. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs and whisk lightly. Gradually incorporate flour into centre, adding a little water if necessary, to form a soft pliable dough. Dough is correct consistency if your thumb comes back clean when pushed into it.
- Knead dough on a lightly floured bench for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic (it will lose it’s rough, floury texture). Stand, covered, for 20 minutes to rest.
- Meanwhile, to make feta crème, place the feta, cream and nutmeg in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until hot. Transfer to a tall heatproof cup. Use a stick blender to blend until smooth. Strain into a siphon gun. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold. Charge siphon gun with cartridges and shake vigorously (to evenly distribute gas) when ready to dispense.
- To make filling, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook eschallot and leek until soft. Stir in spinach until wilted and combine. Season. Transfer to a bowl. Cool slightly. Fold in feta.
- Divide rested pasta dough into quarters. Pass quarters through a pasta machine on the widest setting, dusting dough with flour between rolls, increasing settings until about 2mm thick.
- Divide filling into four portions. Place portions at 2cm intervals along half the pasta sheets. Lightly brush around filling with a little water. Top with remaining pasta sheets and press gently around filling to remove any air and seal the ravioli. Cut out ravioli rounds using a 10cm round cutter. Transfer to a lightly floured tray.
- To prepare crispy leek, place sliced leek in a single layer on paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside for 5 mins. Pat dry with paper towel. Deep fry in small batches until golden and crisp.
- Cook raviolo in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 2-3 mins or until tender. Drain.
- Place raviolo on serving plates. Top with feta crème and crispy leeks. Drizzle with dill oil.
Michael and Rielli’s Raspberry Gel and Chocolate Mousse Dome
Michael and Rielli scored a nine out of 10, and a 10 out of 10 for their Instant Restaurant dessert.
“You could sell [this dish] in a French pastry shop, it was that beautiful,” judge Manu Feildel said of the Raspberry Gel and Chocolate Mousse Dome.
Ingredients
70g fresh raspberries
2 tsp icing sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
250g and 1 tbs caster sugar
180mls water
6 gelatine leaves
120g plain flour
60g pure icing sugar
40g cocoa powder, sifted
20g hazelnut meal
100g cold butter, chopped
4 egg yolks
½ tsp vanilla extract
100g dark chocolate, melted (for brushing)
100ml thickened cream
100ml milk
120g dark chocolate, chopped
150g glucose
50g white chocolate
100g condensed milk
60g neutral glaze
Red food colouring, to tint
Freeze-dried raspberries and gold leaf, to decorate
Method
- To make raspberry purée, blend or process all ingredients until smooth.
- To make simple syrup, stir sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool.
- To make raspberry jelly, soak gelatine leaf in cold water until soft, then squeeze out excess water.
- Place raspberry purée and simple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to 80C. Remove from heat and add gelatine. Stir until dissolved.
- Divide mixture among eight holes of a 3cm-wide half sphere silicone moulds. Freeze until firm. Once frozen, remove half spheres from mould. Heat a small frying pan until hot. Remove from heat. Place the flat surface of two spheres onto the pan for a few seconds to melt slightly. Stick together to form a whole sphere. Refreeze until firm.
- Meanwhile, to make chocolate hazelnut sablé, place the flour, icing sugar, cocoa powder and hazelnut meal into a small processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse to form coarse crumbs. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract and pulse until a dough forms. Shape into a disc and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 180C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
- Roll out dough between two sheets of baking paper until about to 2.5mm thick. Cut out four 7cm round discs and place on prepared tray.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until firm. Cool on tray. Brush one side of the cooled discs with melted chocolate and allow to set.
- To make chocolate mousse, whip cream to soft peaks and refrigerate. Place chocolate in a bowl.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until soft and creamy.
- Heat milk in a small saucepan until hot. Remove from heat and gradually whisk milk into egg yolk mixture. Return mixture to pan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until temperature reaches 82C on a candy thermometer. Strain over chocolate in bowl. Set aside for 2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined. Cool to 35C. Fold in a quarter of the whipped cream. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Divide mixture among four holes of a 7cm-wide half sphere silicone moulds. Push a raspberry jelly sphere into each one, just until it is immersed in the chocolate mousse. Freeze until firm.
- To make red mirror glaze, soak gelatine leaves in cold water until soft, then squeeze out excess water.
- Place the glucose, sugar and the 80ml water in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar and until mixture reaches 103C. Remove from heat and add gelatine. Stir until melted and combined. Add chocolate, condensed milk and neutral glaze. Set aside for 2 minutes. Blend with a stick mixer until smooth. Stir in gelatine until melted and combined. Tint red with food colouring. Strain into a clean saucepan over low heat. Bring to 35C.
- Unmould frozen mousse domes and place on a wire rack over a tray. Pour over glaze to evenly coat each dome. Set aside for a 10 minutes to set.
- Place hazelnut sablé discs on serving plates and top with glazed mousse domes. Decorate with freeze-dried raspberries and gold leaf.
Anne and Maree’s Chargrilled Octopus with Spanakorizo
The first 10 out of 10 score of the 2025 season went to Anne and Maree for their entrée: Chargrilled Octopus with Spanakorizo.
Judge Colin Fassnidge was the one to give the dish a 10, saying the octopus had “perfect texture” and was clearly “seasoned with love.”
Fellow judge Manu Feildel scored the entrée a nine out of 10; he thought the dish was “delightful” but needed a “squeeze of lemon.”
Ingredients
1.5kg octopus, cleaned, portioned
4 tbs salt
250ml red wine
2 red onions, peeled, halved
2 tsp black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
125ml lemon juice
125ml and 2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp flaked salt
1 leek, finely chopped
1 brown onion, finely chopped
100g medium grain rice
250ml chicken stock
1 tbs finely grated lemon zest
Extra olive oil, to drizzle
Method
- Place octopus in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and massage into octopus for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain.
- Place the wine, onions, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add enough water so that octopus will be submerged once added. Bring to a boil.
- Slowly dip the tentacles in and out of the water three times (this will help them curl), then submerge completely. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes or until octopus is tender when pierced with a skewer.
- Meanwhile, to make marinade, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add boiled octopus pieces and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours to marinate.
- To make spanakorizo, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned. Stir in rice, stock and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until rice is tender and stock has been absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in spinach.
- Bring an oiled charcoal barbecue to medium heat. Cook octopus pieces, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until charred.
- Serve octopus with spanakorizo. Drizzle with olive oil.
Justin and Will’s Red Duck Curry with Coconut Rice
My Kitchen Rules judges Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel both scored Justin and WIll’s main a nine out of 10.
Manu described the dish – Red Duck Curry with Coconut Rice – as a “wonderful, ballsy curry” and Colin called it “near perfect”.
Ingredients:
4 duck breasts, skin lightly scored
360g jasmine rice, rinsed under cold water
800ml coconut milk
250ml water
½ tsp salt
Toasted shredded coconut, to garnish
4 dried chillies
1 stick lemongrass (white part only), chopped
1 tbs grated galangal
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbs and 2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs chopped coriander stems and roots
2 eschallots, chopped
1 tbs peanut oil
1 quantity Thai red curry paste
4cm piece fresh ginger, grated
250ml chicken stock
8 lime leaves, bruised
2 tsp white sugar
120g green beans, trimmed, halved
1 cup Thai basil leaves
12 fresh lychees, peeled, seed removed
Extra Thai basil leaves and sliced chilli, to garnish
Charred lime halves, to serve
Method:
- To make coconut rice, place rinsed rice in a bowl and cover in cold water. Set aside for 1 hour to soak.
- Meanwhile, to make curry paste, place chillies in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and reserve 60ml of the soaking water.
- Place chillies, reserved soaking water and remaining curry paste ingredients in a processor. Process to form a fine paste.
- Preheat your oven to 200C.
- To continue with the rice, drain it well. Transfer to a 20cm cake pan.
- Place coconut milk, water and salt in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over rice and stir to combine. Cover with foil.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from your oven and set aside for 10 minutes to steam and finish cooking. Remove foil and fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with toasted coconut to serve.
- Meanwhile, to make curry, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes or until aromatic and slightly darkened in colour. Add stock, coconut milk, lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce. Cover and bring to a simmer.
- Place duck in a large cold frying pan, skin side down. Place over a medium heat and cook until the skin is golden, crisp and fully rendered. Turn and cook for 1 minute. Transfer duck to an oven tray and roast for about 5 minutes or until cooked as desired. Set aside to rest, for 5 minutes. Slice thickly. Stir any juices from the rested duck into curry sauce.
- Add beans to curry sauce and simmer until tender. Stir in basil leaves and lychees.
- Serve curry and duck with rice and lime halves. Garnish with basil leaves and chilli.
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