Use this guide to swap a takeout order for a home-cooked version on a busy weeknight. Each swap lists the matching recipe, the total time and the equipment you'll need.
Swap chart
| Instead of ordering… | Make this | Total time | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange chicken combo | Takeout-Style Orange Chicken | 35 min | Skillet or air fryer |
| Beef with broccoli | Restaurant-Style Beef & Broccoli | 30 min | Wok or large skillet |
| Lo mein carton | Takeout-Style Chicken Lo Mein | 27 min | Wok and pot |
| Burger and fries | Diner-Style Smash Burgers | 20 min | Cast-iron skillet |
| Large pepperoni pizza | Sheet-Pan Pepperoni Pizza | 35 min | Sheet pan |
| Chicken parm dinner | Red-Sauce Joint Chicken Parmesan | 45 min | Skillet and oven |
| Kids' chicken tenders | Air Fryer Chicken Tenders | 27 min | Air fryer or oven |
| Game-day wings | Sports-Bar Buffalo Cauliflower Bites | 40 min | Air fryer or oven |
Times include prep and cooking and assume ingredients are on hand.
A sample week of fakeout takeout
- Monday — Stir-fry night: beef and broccoli with rice. Cook extra rice for later in the week.
- Wednesday — Noodle night: chicken lo mein using vegetables left from Monday.
- Friday — Pizza night: sheet-pan pizza with a big side salad.
- Saturday — Game day: smash burgers and buffalo cauliflower bites.
Swaps for families
Children often like the same takeout dishes as adults, just milder. Keep chili flakes and hot sauce on the side, cut tenders and pizza into smaller pieces, and let kids help with simple jobs such as sprinkling cheese or shaking the air fryer basket (with supervision).
Swaps for different diets
- Vegetarian: use tofu in lo mein, eggplant in parm, and try buffalo cauliflower bites.
- Gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce, rice noodles in place of wheat noodles, and gluten-free breadcrumbs or cornstarch coatings. Check oyster sauce labels, as many contain wheat.
- Dairy-free: skip the cheese on burgers and use plant-based mozzarella on pizza.
Allergy reminder: takeout-style sauces commonly contain soy, wheat, shellfish (oyster sauce), eggs and sesame. Always read labels when cooking for someone with allergies.
New to cooking takeout at home? Start with our fakeout takeout guide.