Updated 3/16: The final votes have been counted, and Smashed Burgers edged out Chocolate Brownie Cookies in the championship round to become the 2021 champion. Check out the updated bracket below to see the full list of matchups and winners.
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March Madness 2021: Sweet vs. Savory
Cookies or carbonara? Pie or pizza? Vote for your favorite in this culinary competition.
By Published Mar. 1, 2021.
Do you always save room for dessert or would you rather fill up on dinner? If you could only have one, would you reach for a piece of cake or a piece of pizza? For our take on March Madness this year, we want to know which side—and recipe—reigns supreme. Here's how to declare your allegiance to team sweet or team savory.
We chose these recipes based on their popularity with our community of home cooks, including those who participate in our recipe testing program. Learn more about the program and sign up here!
The Bracket: Updated!
The matchups start on March 2nd. Print out a bracket, fill it out, and see how your choices stack up as the results roll in!
Updated 3/16: Check out this updated bracket to see all the matchups and Smashed Burgers' road to victory.
How to Vote
On Instagram! We'll be posting polls in our Instagram Stories the day of each matchup. Follow along by voting for your favorites each weekday starting March 2nd. Winners will be posted the following day in the @testkitchen Instagram Stories along with the next matchup!
The Schedule
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First-Round Matchups
Tuesday, March 2nd
Sweet: Chocolate Brownie Cookies vs. M&M Cookies
Savory: Cast Iron Pan Pizza vs. Bánh Xèo (Sizzling Vietnamese Crepes)
Wednesday, March 3rd
Sweet: Creamy Chocolate Pudding vs. Cast Iron Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
Savory: Dan Dan Mian (Sichuan Noodles with Chili Sauce and Pork) vs. Spaghetti Carbonara
Thursday, March 4th
Sweet: Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting vs. Lemon–Olive Oil Tart
Savory: Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup vs. Murgh Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)
Friday, March 5th
Sweet: German Apple Pancake vs. Mixed Berry Buckle
Savory: Shrimp Scampi vs. Smashed Burgers
The winners will be announced the day after the matchup, and will move on to the second round, which takes place from March 8th through March 11th. The final matchup will take place on Monday, March 15th. The winner will be announced the next day.
We've got thousands more game-time recipes, reviews, and cooking tips on our sites. Check out some of our favorites below (and consider becoming a recipe tester and get a sneak peek of the recipes we're working on):