25 winter recipes with filling dinners like soups, pasta, chilis, casseroles, and sheet-pan meals for busy cold nights.
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When I think about winter recipes, I’m not thinking about anything fancy; I’m thinking about meals that actually keep me full and warm. This is the time of year when soups are on repeat, pasta shows up more than once a week, and rice dishes feel like the right call every time. There’s just something about carbs in the winter that makes sense, especially when dinner needs to be comforting and low-effort. This roundup pulls together 25 winter recipes I actually make when it’s cold out, and I want real food that does the job.
Winter fills up quickly. Between school schedules, practices, and everything else that stacks up this time of year, I lean hard on easy winter recipes that don’t make dinner feel like another task. The below are mostly one-pot and sheet-pan meals with minimal prep and cleanup, the kind of cold-weather dinners that actually work on busy nights and still feed my family well.
This is a quick, one-pot meal the whole family will love. Made with mostly pantry staples, it's an excellent cold weather recipe for busy nights when you want something easy but filling.
One pan pasta is an easy family friendly meal you can whip up quickly on weeknights. It's a no-fuss meal using only one cookware and your favorite winter veggies.
Mujadara, a Middle Eastern lentils and rice dish topped with crispy caramelized onions, comes together with just 7 ingredients. It's a protein-rich easy winter recipe that's just what I need on cold nights.
45 minutesminutes
5 from 1960 votes
Cozy Winter Soup Recipes
Hardly anyone says no to a hot bowl of soup on a cold night. These winter soup recipes are some of my favorite easy winter meals, especially because soups make it simple to highlight seasonal ingredients like winter squash and warm spices. Plus, they’re easy to scale up for meal prep. I’ll make one big pot and be set for days.
Inspired by my famous TikTok baked feta pasta, this soup is simple to make and packed with rich, comforting flavors. It'll quickly become one of your favorite winter soup recipes.
This chicken soup brings together chicken thighs, vegetables, and rice in a light, lemony broth. It's one of those simple cold weather recipes that hits the spot.
Every winter needs at least one good beef stew, and this easy version doesn't disappoint. Tender, flavorful beef cooked in one pot makes for a cozy, no-fuzz family meal perfect for chilly nights.
Roasted acorn squash, curry, apple, and yogurt come together to make a creamy, light texture without the heaviness but all the flavor. One of my favorite winter soup recipes.
Lentil Kale Soup is a hearty vegan recipe that is easy to throw together with green lentils, onions, celery, carrots and kale – 13 grams of protein/serving!
This vegetable stew is heavy on the winter vegetables. Potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and celery all in one pot. Add whatever else you have on hand for one of the most flexible cold weather recipes.
Learn how to make this authentic healthy Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup in 30 minutes! Made with simple pantry ingredients, it's vegan, hearty and so filling!
45 minutesminutes
5 from 329 votes
More Dinner Ideas for Winter
These are cold winter recipes I save for nights when I’m having people over or just want the meal to feel a little extra special. They take a bit more prep than my usual easy winter recipes, but they’re absolutely worth it.
Take this winter squash and turn it into a delicious dinner. It makes an impressive dinner idea for winter that's great for entertaining or a cozy family dinner.
This roasted butternut squash stuffed with quinoa, spinach, and apples makes one of the best satisfying cold weather recipes. It's a simple way to showcase seasonal squash in a hearty vegetarian meal.
Layers of pasta, homemade meat sauce, and a creamy Greek yogurt cheese filling make this healthy lasagna one of my family's favorite cold weather recipes.
Celebrate the winter cabbage with these authentic Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, or Malfouf. Tender cabbage leaves are filled with a savory mixture and make a delicious and impressive addition to your dinner table.
This authentic Sayadieh recipe is also known as Lebanese Rice and Fish – made with perfectly seasoned fluffy rice & pan fried fish, topped with toasted nuts.
Chicken and rice casserole made with chicken breast simmered in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and onions, poured on a bed of rice, and baked in the oven.
This Sweet Potato Chili is basic in ingredients but sophisticated in flavor – it has a sweet smoky flavor & packed with a healthy dose of protein and fiber!
45 minutesminutes
5 from 175 votes
Tips for Making Winter Recipes
Cook in batches! Double up recipe ingredients and make bigger batches, making weeknight meals less of a hassle and freezing some for later.
Deliver the flavor of the outdoors, indoors, with the broiler. Take that BBQ vibe inside and use your broiler to grill up a variety of meat and veggies.
Use warming spices and seasonings. Add warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder, cumin, and ginger to your recipes. Simple blends like sumac, 7 spice, and Cajun seasoning instantly add flavor to meats and veggies.
If you have tried any of these 25 Favorite Winter recipes or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making the recipes. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Thank you!! 😋🙂
Glad this was helpful for the long, cold winter!