TikTokkers have moved on from NyQuil-soaked “sleepy chicken” to another bizarre trend: “pancake spaghetti.”
The novel dish went viral at the end of September, when Briana Archuleta posted a video of her husband Steven’s inventive creation. His creative take on the American breakfast staple involves cooking pancake batter in long, thin strands, placing the spaghetti-like pieces in a bowl, and serving the dish topped with syrup and powdered sugar. In the video, he twists the pancake spaghetti around his fork — just as you might with a bowl of pasta.
@brianaarchuleta Or as he likes to call squiggle cakes #breakfast #foodie #viralfoodtrend #tryit #pancakes #breakfasttime #husbandcreations #morning #delicious #invention #thefuture ♬ Sensual Seduction - Snoop Dogg
The video struck a chord with TikTokkers, where it has received over 9 million views and inspired countless copycat recipes.
“Wait, he’s a culinary genius,” one viewer wrote alongside a surprised emoji.
The trend isn’t without its detractors, however. Some commenters comment that the Archuleta’s dish (find a video tutorial below) was simply a funnel cake, though Briana notes in the comments that, unlike a funnel cake, her husband’s spaghetti isn’t deep fried. It’s also worth mentioning that similar dishes exist in other cultures, such as the Austrian dish Kaiserschmarrn, which is essentially a pancake scramble.
@brianaarchuleta Replying to @disjointedjewels tried to answer some questions ♥️ #squigglecakes #breakfast #viralfoodtrend #yum #breakfastspaghetti #delicious #breakfastofthefuture #tutorial #howto #diy #cooking ♬ Sensual Seduction - Snoop Dogg
Even if the idea isn’t entirely new, pancake spaghetti’s success online speaks to TikTok’s reach in the world of culinary trends. Since the short-form video platform’s inception, TikTok has been a breeding ground for some of the internet’s wackiest food experiments and mashups, including the espresso orange juice combo, butter boards, and the infamous NyQuil chicken challenge.
Gallery: 15 Food Hacks From TikTok That Live Up to the Hype
One popular explanation for the rise of food TikTok (aka Foodtok) is the pandemic, which not only sent food service workers home but also generated a huge appetite for intimate cooking videos. Though the pandemic restrictions have lifted, that appetite continues to be as strong as ever. Since the end of August, the #food hashtag has seen a 20 billion increase in views, bringing the cumulative total to a whopping 382 billion.
@dippedtampa Welcome to Food Tiktok 🤤 #foodie #foodtiktok #foodtok #recipes #recipe #viralrecipe #fyp ♬ original sound - Dipped Tampa