Winter dinners are perhaps the most joyous to eat of the whole year. The coldest months call for nourishing and comforting broths, soups and stews, packed full of flavour. Embracing the season’s ingredients will give you the vitamins and minerals to stave off winter colds and coughs, on a budget.
Seasonal Ingredients and Flavors
Winter is a time to embrace hearty and warming flavours. It’s a time to incorporate spices and herbs into your soups and stews for depth of flavour. And it’s best to focus on seasonal produce, to keep costs down and create winter dinners that are fresher, more nourishing and nutrient-dense.
Here’s a look at the produce which is in season for winter:
- carrots
- cabbages
- potatoes
- onions
- broccoli
- celery
- spinach
- silverbeet
- sweet potato
- leek
- cauliflower
Setting the Winter Mood
Winter is the time of year we are stuck inside and it does tend to give us cabin fever. Coming together around a nicely set table, with candles, lamps, and winter garlands, will create a warming atmosphere that will distract everyone from the fatigue of being indoors. Food isn’t the only thing that keeps us energised, and inviting friends and family for a winter gathering is a great way to nourish yourself with good conversations.
6 Comforting Classics
Warming Winter dinners are comfort food at it’s best. There are soups and stews, which are full of meaty flavour and silky vegetables. Winter is also a time for casseroles and baked dishes, which are easy to prepare before popping in the oven to slowly cook. Baked pasta dishes are full of comforting and filling carbs. Here are 6 of the most classic winter dishes to salivate over!
Creamy tomato soup
This is the best homemade tomato soup recipe. Roasted fresh tomatoes, basil, onion and garlic, this soup is irresistibly creamy & bursting with flavor. It’s a healthy and cozy way to warm up on cold winter days.
Beef stew with root vegetables
Nothing compares to the cozy comfort of this classic Beef Stew recipe. Tender morsels of beef practically melt in your mouth, and the combination of vegetables and beef infuse the dish with incredible flavor as they simmer together in a rich broth.
Chicken pot pie
This homemade Chicken Pot Pie recipe has a buttery, flaky crust and the most luscious chicken and vegetable filling. It is the most delicious and warming dinner to serve up on a frozen winter evening.
Baked macaroni and cheese
Outrageously cheesy, ultra creamy, and topped with a crunchy Panko-Parmesan topping, this mac and cheese recipe is most definitely a keeper. Three different cheeses and a homemade cheese sauce make this macaroni and cheese recipe over-the-top delicious!
Lasagna
This easy, no-boil lasagna recipe uses two meats and three cheeses for amazing flavor. Your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce keeps it simple!
Carbonara
This spaghetti carbonara uses a handful of staple ingredients to make the ultimate comfort-food winter dinner. It is quite possibly the easiest pasta dish to make!
6 Vegetarian and Vegan Winter Delights
Winter dinners do not have to contain meat to be nourishing, comforting, and delicious. There are so many vegan and vegetarian recipes that will warm you up, and give you an extra injection of nutrients.
Roasted root vegetables
More a formula than a recipe, this roasted root vegetable method is the ultimate dish to produce this winter. This recipe is as classic as it gets, with tender, caramelized vegetables and pungent herbs. With so much room for adaptations, it’s a meal you’re sure to lean on throughout the entirety of winter.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Stuffed Acorn Squash is a perfect cold weather recipe, and it also makes a gorgeous holiday side dish. The acorn squash is stuffed with a creamy spinach mixture made with Parmesan and cream cheese. This winter dinner recipe will become your new favorite comfort food!
Butternut Squash Soup
This easy roasted butternut squash soup recipe is my favorite. Roasting the veges on one baking sheet really brings out the flavor of the butternut squash. With a smooth velvety texture, this soup is perfectly seasoned and super easy to make.
Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Lentil soup is a culinary wonder. It’s creamy without any dairy, satisfying and protein-packed without any meat, and easy to make from a handful of kitchen staples. Ease is the name of the game for this soup. There is a bit of soothing chopping and a few cans to open, but no need to bust out the blender. After it simmers for about 20 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with a creamy soup with just a little bit of a tender bite from the lentils and carrots.
Quinoa and Sweet Potato Bowls
Chickpea, sweet potato and quinoa bowls are perfect for meal prep and make ahead lunches. They feature seasoned roasted sweet potatoes, two sources of plant-based protein, and a zesty lemon-almond sauce. This recipe is vegan & gluten-free.
Chickpea Curry
This is a creamy coconut chickpea curry prepared with wholesome spices. This is a healthy plant-based dinner meal, creamy, full of flavour – the ultimate winter comfort food!
4 International Winter Dinners
Experimenting with global recipes will help to bring exotic flavours to your winter dinners. Recipes from different cuisines will expand your knowledge of flavour and texture combinations, while transporting you beyond the walls of your home. International dinners may save you from cabin fever!
French onion soup
Classic French onion soup is a winter staple. This recipe is rich, full of deeply caramelized onions, herb flavor, and topped with lots of melted gruyere cheese over slices of toasted baguette.
Indian chicken curry
Indian Butter Chicken is a super popular dish made with tender chicken thighs and a deliciously seasoned, creamy, buttery tomato based sauce. Serve it with freshly cooked basmati rice and homemade naan and the compliments will abound at the dinner table.
Mexican chili Con Carne
Minced beef and tomatoes are the heart of this colorful Mexican Chili dish. Chili Con Carne is a great family meal, and flexible, too! It works both as a topping for nachos and a great filling for tacos. It is a vibrant, savoury, and deeply satiating winter dinner meal.
Japanese ramen
This is a quick chicken ramen recipe that uses instant noodles and cooked, shredded chicken for a speedy soup with a flavourful broth. You can make this delicious soup in 20 minutes – including the perfect soft-boiled egg!
4 Easy One-Pot and Slow Cooker Meals
One-pot or slow cooker meals really take the hassle out of winter cooking. Winter meals tend to involve more ingredients and require more preparation, so the key to making it easy is to be able to bung the meal into a pot or slow cooker and walk away. Using one pot or a slow cooker minimises clean up, and allows you to make the meal ahead, before the busy afternoon rush.
Slow-Cooked Chili
This is an easy slow cooker chili recipe with Ground Beef, beans, tomato sauce, and the best homemade chili seasoning. It putters away in the slow cooker for the juiciest beef and rich flavor.
One-pot chicken and rice
Ready in less than an hour, this one-pot garlic butter chicken and rice recipe is just waiting to meet your spice cabinet. Cooked on the stove and in the oven, it’s the easiest juicy chicken dinner ever.
Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
This easy Crockpot Pot Roast recipe is a family favourite. It has (formerly) secret ingredients that make a flavorful and extra tender pot roast right in the slow cooker!
Slow-Cooker Cuban Pulled Pork
Fragrant, garlicky, crispy-edged yet succulent, this mouth-watering Cuban Pulled Pork is as easy to make as it is wonderful and habit forming. Start it in the slow cooker, then finish it off in the oven, this recipe will become a winter favourite!
Conclusion
Winter is a great time of year to indulge in warm, comforting, and carbohydrate rich foods. The colder weather calls for nourishing broths, stews, soups, and bakes. While these recipes take a bit more effort to make, they’re also more joyous to eat. I encourage you to embrace and savor the season’s culinary delights, by trying out these delicious winter dinner ideas. Wishing you all a cosy and delicious winter.
