Marilyn Monroe's Favorite Foods: What the Icon Really Loved to Eat
She lit up the silver screen and defined an era of glamour, but Marilyn Monroe's relationship with food was refreshingly down-to-earth. From a nightly hot fudge sundae to handwritten recipes for beef bourguignon, Monroe's culinary world was as complex and captivating as the woman herself.
A Morning Routine Unlike Any Other
Monroe's breakfast habits were unconventional by any standard. Each morning, she would heat a cup of milk, crack two raw eggs into it, and whip the mixture together with a fork before drinking it while she dressed. She told Pageant magazine that she knew her eating habits seemed "absolutely bizarre," but she viewed the protein-rich concoction as a practical, healthful start to the day — and paired it with a daily multivitamin.
On other mornings, handwritten notes found in her personal cookbooks suggest she also warmed up cereal for breakfast. It was perhaps less remarkable, but equally telling of a woman who preferred cooking for herself over delegating that task to others.
Hot Fudge Sundaes After Acting Class
One of Monroe's most beloved treats was the hot fudge sundae. During her acting-class days in Beverly Hills, she made a habit of stopping at Wil Wright's Ice Cream Parlor on her way home each evening. In an interview with Pageant magazine, she described it as an indulgence she justified by keeping the rest of her diet lean and high in protein.
Wil Wright's is long gone today — replaced by a pastry shop on Beverly Drive — but the ritual speaks to a side of Monroe that fans still find endearing: a woman who studied her craft seriously and rewarded herself with something simple and sweet.
Steak, Lamb Chops, and a Paleo Approach
Long before the paleo diet became a cultural moment, Monroe was already living by its principles. She told Pageant magazine that a typical dinner at home consisted of a broiled steak or lamb chop — picked up from a market near her hotel — paired with four or five raw carrots and nothing else. No grains, no sugar, no sauces.
She cooked her steak in an electric oven right in her hotel room. She joked she must be "part rabbit" for how much she enjoyed raw carrots — a line that has since become one of her most-quoted food moments. It's a portrait of someone who genuinely liked the simplicity of that meal rather than tolerating it.
A Secret Love of Champagne — and Lots of It
Monroe's favorite drink was widely known: she adored champagne, specifically Dom Pérignon and Piper-Heidsieck. By her own account, she would pour herself a glass first thing in the morning. Her love for the drink went beyond the casual — she famously bathed in 350 bottles of it on at least one occasion.
Her devotion was so celebrated that the Waldorf Astoria in New York created a cocktail in her honor, combining champagne with apple brandy and grenadine. Its deep red color was a tribute to her signature lipstick. Monroe also reportedly ended each evening with an eggnog nightcap — another egg-and-dairy combination that seemed to suit her tastes perfectly.
A Skilled and Serious Home Cook
What consistently surprises people is that Monroe was a genuinely accomplished cook who didn't shy away from ambitious recipes. Among her handwritten notes and cookbooks, researchers found a recipe for classic French beef bourguignon — requiring nearly 20 ingredients and close to three hours of preparation.
She also had an 18-ingredient stuffing recipe that called for beef, eggs, chicken liver, and sourdough bread soaked in water or broth.
Ingredients
A 10-ounce loaf sourdough bread
½ pound chicken or turkey livers or hearts
½ pound ground round or other beef
1 tablespoon cooking oil
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups chopped curly parsley
2 eggs, hard boiled, chopped
1 ½ cups raisins
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts, pine nuts or roasted chestnuts, or a combination
2 teaspoons dried crushed rosemary
2 teaspoons dried crushed oregano
2 teaspoons dried crushed thyme
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt-free, garlic-free poultry seasoning (or 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon pepper
Directions
Split the bread loaf in half and soak it in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. Wring out excess water and break into pieces.
Boil the livers or hearts for 8 minutes in salted water, then chop until no piece is larger than a bean.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef in the oil, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat, so no piece is larger than a pistachio.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough, livers, ground beef, celery, onion, parsley, eggs, raisins, Parmesan and nuts, tossing gently with your hands to combine. Whisk the rosemary, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper together in a bowl, scatter over the stuffing and toss again with your hands. Taste and adjust for salt. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use as a stuffing or to bake separately as dressing. To serve as a dressing, pile about two quarts of the mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until the top is evenly browned, about 1 hour.
She also kept a recipe for bone broth, or marrow bone soup, long before it became a wellness trend, suggesting she took her nutrition seriously and approached her kitchen with real intention. A dinner party at Monroe's home would have been a memorable affair.
Hollywood Haunts: Chili at Barney's Beanery
When Monroe dined out, she had her local favorites. During the filming of Some Like It Hot, she frequented Barney's Beanery on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles — a well-known celebrity haunt that still operates today. The classic chili she loved remains on the menu. The restaurant now also serves a three-bean chili, a fireman's chili with braised beef, and a lighter turkey chili for those who want to branch out.
For special occasions, Monroe was a regular at Romanoff's in Beverly Hills, where she was known to order the chocolate soufflé. The restaurant has since closed, but Monroe's affection for it added to a portrait of a woman who had genuine, considered taste — not just an appetite for whatever was fashionable.
Rice Pudding: A Quiet Indulgence
Beyond sundaes and soufflés, Monroe had a soft spot for rice pudding. It's a humble, homey dessert — one that speaks less to the dazzling icon and more to the private woman behind the persona. Simple, comforting, and easy to overlook, it fits a picture of Monroe that has only grown over time: someone who found real pleasure in ordinary things, entirely on her own terms.
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