Enjoy the dishes that wowed Colin and Manu at home!

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: 

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.