Trends to watch

After a whirlwind year, there’s much that has changed in the food world. With the help of data from Sous Chef, an online shop for specialist ingredients and cooking equipment, we’ve narrowed down the trends and ingredients set to dominate the industry, based on search and sales this year. From ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and miso to trends like outdoor eating and plant-based diets, this is what everyone will be talking about (and eating) in the second half of 2021.




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Upgrade the basics

More people had to eat in rather than dine out in 2020 and the trend has continued into 2021, especially with the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing. People might be staying local but they still want to eat globally so basics like tinned tomatoes, pasta flour and black pepper are all getting an upgrade to help transport home cooks to far-flung corners of the world. For example, San Marzano tomato sales are up 900% on the year before, making it Sous Chef’s top-selling product of 2020, while 00 flour, used for pasta, outsold every other flour variety this year.




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The slow-food movement

Sorry, but sourdough isn’t going anywhere! With a larger population working from home, people have often turned to their kitchens to fill the time in 2020 and so far 2021 has seen an even bigger focus on slow food. For many, nurturing a sourdough starter has become a part of day-to-day life. To put the sharp rise in popularity into perspective, for every sourdough kit sold in 2019, Sous Chef sold 80 in 2020.

Give it a go with our basic sourdough starter recipe




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Gourmet pulses

Gourmet pulses have skyrocketed in popularity in the last year as people have continued to expand their recipe repertoire and tried more quality ingredients. Sous Chef has seen a 103% increase in sales of single origin lentils while the search traffic for borlotti beans has increased by 200%. Also called cranberry beans, borlotti is a variety of kidney bean and is widely used in Italian cooking where it’s loved for its sweet flavor and creamy texture.

Why not try borlotti beans in this smoky bean and monkfish stew?




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Cookbooks on the rise


A positive to come out of more time spent at home is our eagerness to return to cookbooks. Sous Chef reports a 700% increase in cookbook and ingredient sets this year. As many of us spend hours each day staring at screens, it’s no surprise we’re keen to flick through the pages of a book for some inspiration and much-needed escapism.




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Dark chocolate

As home baking continues its dominance, searches for chocolate have seen a massive 130% increase in Sous Chef’s on-site searches this year. And it’s not chocolate sweets or milk chocolate bars that have topped the charts. The two most popular items have been pre-tempered 54% dark chocolate chips and 70% dark chocolate chips, perfect for exquisite home bakes.

Cookies, cakes and bakes: our best-ever chocolate recipes




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Tofu ‘bamboo’

Ready to give jackfruit a run for its money as the next big vegan ingredient, tofu ‘bamboo’, or braised bean curd sticks, are set to skyrocket in popularity this year. Made from skimming soy milk and then drying the skin layer, the dried rolls soften to a delicate, omelet-like texture when cooked and are great to soak up the flavors of broths and sauces. This braised beancurd skin dish with mushrooms has been the most-visited recipe on Sous Chef this year.




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Cooking with sake

A fantastically versatile ingredient to cook with, many home cooks are discovering sake as a great way to add depth of flavor to homecooked dishes. Sous Chef has seen a 100% increase in sales and their two best-sellers are cooking sakes specifically. Sweet, sharp and almost sherry-like, this rice wine is a great addition to Japanese broths and can be used in marinades, dressings and instead of white wine when steaming.

Try it in this teppanyaki duck recipe




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Spice up your life

Things have definitely heated up in 2021. Branded chili products have seen huge growth over the last 12 months, according to Sous Chef, and show no intention of stopping. Among them are Sriracha, with sales up by 700% on 2019, and Lao Gan Ma Crispy Chili in Oil, with sales up 1600% on 2019. Traditionally served with Chinese dishes, the oil’s popularity has soared in Western cooking, seeing it drizzled over steamed vegetables, mixed into a stir-fry or used to top oozy fried eggs.

Here’s everything you need to know about cooking with chilies




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Miso takeover

Our love affair with this fermented bean paste saw no boundaries in 2020 and it’s continued well into 2021, with miso sales up by 500% year on year. Key in many Japanese dishes, miso’s umami flavor means it’s excellent used in sweet and savory recipes, whether on cod and in ramen, or in fusion dishes like miso crème brûlée and miso pasta.

Here’s everything you need to know about miso and how to cook with it




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Food subscriptions


As many of us were confined to our homes in 2020, cooking became both a fun activity and a chore. Subscription boxes came to the rescue, offering a selection of ingredients and recipes delivered straight to the door. Whether veg boxes delivered direct from farmers or meal boxes with everything you need for delicious dishes at home, subscription boxes have continued to gain new fans in 2021.




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Grow your own

Last year saw a lot of ingredients fly off the shelves to reappear only weeks, if not months, later so it’s hardly surprising we started our own herb gardens wherever we could, from balconies to windowsills. The therapeutic effect of gardening is another reason why Sous Chef’s grow your own category was up 450%. Whether it’s mint and dill or tomatoes and strawberries, homegrown produce is still popular in 2021.

Love this? Follow our Pinterest page for more food inspiration




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Sous vide cooking

Home sous vide machines have been around for years but as people looked for ways to make restaurant-quality meals at home, the sales of sous vide products skyrocketed. Offering perfect results by precisely controlling the water temperature and the cooking time, it’s a foolproof way to enjoy top-notch food, from steak and fish to crème caramel.

Find more tips on how to cook restaurant-quality meals at home




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Chinese clay pot


Another breakthrough piece of kit that’s seen an incredible increase in popularity is the Chinese clay pot. With search up by 200%, the clay pots (known as a shāguo in Mandarin or a bàozai in Cantonese) are made of earthenware clay and are generally suitable for dishes that benefit from low and slow cooking. Traditionally used to cook over an open fire, the clay pot is best known for Hong Kong rice with Chinese sausage.




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Edible insects

Edible insects have widely been lauded as the food of the future and sales have increased by 500% in the last year. From a sustainability standpoint, farming insects requires far less energy, land, water and pesticides than animals. Edible insects are also considered to have huge health benefits as some contain as much as 80% protein. As our attention switches to sustainability, it’s unsurprising they’ve graced lists of top food trends for a few years now.




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No and low-alcohol drinks

Another area that’s been slowly growing in popularity in recent years is no and low-alcohol drinks. In the UK, low and no-alcohol drink sales increased by 30% during lockdown. Often called ‘nolo’ drinks, the trend is largely set by the growing demand from the younger generation. A report published at the start of 2020 revealed that one in three young adults (18 to 24 year-olds) have cut down on their alcohol consumption, while a record 23% are now teetotal – it’s unlikely this trend is about to stop.




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Products built to last

Sous Chef also reports an increase in demand for quality cookware that comes at a higher price point but will last for decades. It’s another trend driven by more cooking at home. Products like cast iron spice grinders, leather aprons and copper pans have all seen an increase in demand as we’re looking to invest in the best.

Take a look at our handy checklist of kitchen utensils every cook needs




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Sustainable brands


Not just a trend but a change in mindset, sustainability has increasingly been a hot topic over the last few years. Consumers are now not only paying attention to where ingredients are sourced from, but also a brand’s credentials in terms of ethical labor, a transparent supply chain and eco-friendly packaging.




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Say no to food waste

Food waste is another issue that people are becoming more conscious of. As we pay more attention to what, when and how much we are buying (and throwing away) in our homes, more companies are finding innovative ways to use food that might have otherwise gone in the bin. For example, Montréal-based company Loop Mission uses surplus produce to make cold-pressed juices while UK-based Oddbox offers ‘wonky’ and surplus fruit and vegetable in subscription delivery boxes.

Try these genius and tasty ways to reduce food waste




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Outdoor eating

Dining outside has proved a safer option than sitting indoors during COVID-19, and the alfresco trend continues to dominate in 2021. Sous Chef reports an increase in searches for barbecues, smokers and outdoor cookware for hosting open-air dinners in colder weather as well as summer.

Now take a look at these barbecue secrets from the world’s best chefs




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Booming food e-commerce


Unsurprisingly, a lot of the shopping we’ve done this year has been online and the food sector hasn’t been an exception. Even when lockdowns eased around the world, we’ve continued to shop online, whether it’s ordering groceries or looking for specialty ingredients.




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Plant-based dining

It’s no surprise that plant-based foods have been the biggest trend of the decade. As people consider the impact of their eating habits on the environment, the shelves have started to fill with creative plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy products. Sous Chef reports that 50% of customers who bought their Tasting Box (a subscription box with specialty ingredients) in November 2020, requested it to be vegetarian or vegan.

Discover our collection of quick and easy vegan recipes




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