It takes a long time to prepare the dish but the results are so good that it's worth the effort.

effort 是名词，意思是"努力、付出"。这个词来自动词 strive（努力）的拉丁词源，在现代英语中特指为达成目标所付出的精力或劳动。worth the effort 表示"值得付出努力"。