While comfort food is welcome all year round, in winter, it's the ultimate way to combat darker days and cold weather. We always keep a few winter dinner recipes in our back pocket to pull out when the temperatures drop: A soul-warming bowl of ginger-and-turmeric noodle soup, a stick-to-your-ribs pot roast, or a creamy, rich macaroni and cheese practically bubbling over the casserole dish. We also seek out seasonal ingredients to make the most of winter produce — think citrus and root vegetables — for fresh dishes like Puntarelle-Citrus Salad with Roasted Beets. Here are our favorite winter dinner recipes to update your rotation.
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Winter Squash-and-Shallot Tart
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This elegant tart is just the thing to serve for dinner on a chilly night. The rich, cheesy filling is packed with sweet cubes of butternut squash and savory shallots, and lightened by the acidity of the sherry vinegar and brightness of the lemon zest.
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02of 31
Mac and Corn Cheese
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Enlivened with snappy kernels of sweet corn, pungent onion, and fruity jalapeño, Eric Kim's gooey pasta dish gets extra richness from mayonnaise and a pinch of sugar.
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03of 31
Buttery Sautéed Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs
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This succulent, umami-rich, versatile batch of mushrooms can be served as a side dish, spooned over steak, or stirred into hot pasta for an easy dinner.
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04of 31
Tonkotsu Ramen
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A slow-simmered, rich and savory tonkotsu broth is the base for this ramen that is rich from the meltingly tender chashu pork and soft-boiled egg and brightened by pickled mushrooms.
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05of 31
Citrus and Fennel Chicken with Olives and Calabrian Chiles
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A mix of citrus, buttery olives, and spicy, oil-packed chiles punches up the flavor of braised chicken leg quarters. Toasted fennel seeds and dry sherry add a pleasant warmth to the sauce.
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06of 31
Spicy Pot Roast with Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, and Calabrian Chile Gremolata
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Whole orange segments and freshly squeezed orange juice and zest give this hearty winter braise a burst of fresh citrus flavor. Creamy sweet potatoes and celery root along with tender beef chuck fill out this satisfyingly hearty meal.
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07of 31
Leg of Lamb with Fingerling Potatoes and Leeks
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Incredibly easy to prepare, this bone-in leg of lamb is coated with an herby, pleasantly salty crust before marinating in the refrigerator for about eight hours. The dry brine results in a juicy, tender, and deliciously garlicky lamb roast.
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08of 31
Restorative Ginger-and-Turmeric Noodle Soup
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"During the winter months, this bowl of noodle soup is like a hug," cookbook author Hetty McKinnon writes. "The garlic oil adds an extra layer of aromatic flavor, a great way to bring cohesiveness to this curative bowl of soup. It's bolstered by a robust ginger and turmeric base, which offers deep, earthy flavors along with anti-inflammatory prowess."
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09of 31
One-Pot White Wine Pasta with Mushrooms and Leeks
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This creamy, savory one-pot pasta dish comes together without the need to boil the pasta separately. Savory sautéed mushrooms and gently sweet leeks combine with cream, lemon juice, and white wine to create the rich sauce. Feel free to switch up the flavor by adding tarragon instead of dill.
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10of 31
Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup
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A few simple ingredients make a sumptuous soup. Be sure to use a high-quality cheddar; it's crucial to the dish's flavor. Choose a yellow cheese for the richest color. For a chunkier soup, skip the pureeing and just break up some of the potato with a spoon.
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11of 31
Chicken Spaghetti Lo Mein
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Lan Samantha Chang's family adds even more savory flavor to their favorite lo mein recipe with dried shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine.
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12of 31
Opulent Grilled Cheese
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Inspired by former Food & Wine editor Margaret Eby's love of Zabar's in New York City, the combination of creamy, silky Taleggio and nutty aged Gruyère cheeses in these small but satisfying sandwiches results in the perfect melt, with plenty of flavor. Pops of fresh salinity from lightly smashed capers stirred into sweet, jammy strawberries balance the richness.
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13of 31
Red Wine Venison Stew
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Made with venison, this stew is intensely flavored and has a silky, thick sauce that clings to the vegetables and meat as they slowly cook together. Beef chuck roast works very well here, too.
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14of 31
Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots
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Inspired by älplermagronen, Alpine farmers' macaroni, this Swiss twist on a Thanksgiving classic gets rich flavor from Gruyère and a lush creaminess from Raclette. Traditional versions of this dish are served with applesauce; as a nod to that flavor play, we've added some shallots that are quickly pickled in apple cider vinegar to balance the cheesy richness.
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15of 31
Classic Beef Chili
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This is a great classic chili to keep in your back pocket for game day meals or anytime you want a hearty bowl to warm up on a cool fall or winter day. If you are serving this chili for a crowd, go ahead and set up a buffet of toppings. Serve this chili alongside tortilla chips, cornbread, and bowls of shredded cheddar, slices of fresh jalapeño and radishes, chopped scallions, and sour cream. This way, each person can pick and choose their garnishes and personalize their perfect bowl of chili.
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16of 31
Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
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Just like American New Year's foods, this is a good-luck dish that carries symbolic significance. The white color of the rice cakes signifies purity, so the soup represents a way to start the year off fresh. Traditionally, when you enjoy your New Year's bowl of rice cake soup, your age increases by one year. Though the soup can be made with chicken, pork, pheasant, or seafood, these days it's typically made with beef.
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17of 31
Creamy Mashed Potato Soup with Dashi
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Dashi and soy sauce add umami to buttery leftover mashed potatoes in this cozy soup from chef Shota Nakajima.
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18of 31
Thit Kho (Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly)
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This savory pork braise is beloved across Vietnam. In the north, the dish is usually saltier, says chef Diep Tran, R&D chef for Red Boat Fish Sauce, while in the south, the braise tends to be sweeter. Blanched cabbage is a good accompaniment for the fall and winter months.
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19of 31
Juicy Lemon-and-Herb Roast Chicken
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Pulling off a restaurant-quality roast chicken at home starts with bagging the best bird you can find. Skip the bulked-up mega-market hens and source a smaller, free-range hen from your local butcher or specialty grocery, such as Whole Foods.
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20of 31
Lazy Chicken-and-Sausage Cassoulet
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Molly Stevens' quick cassoulet recipe calls for smoked sausage (such as kielbasa); boneless, skinless chicken thighs; and canned white beans, packing in plenty of protein.
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21of 31
Trinidadian Pelau
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The layers of flavor in chef Peter Prime's pelau come from a range of sources: zesty, spicy Green Seasoning, coconut milk, a hit of ketchup, Worcestershire, and an ingenious technique of sauteing both the beef and the rice and pigeon peas in a scorched caramel to create a rich texture and nutty taste.
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22of 31
Farro Salad with Roasted Root Vegetables
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Crispy roasted root vegetables like parsnips and celery root add an earthy, caramelized depth to this simple grain salad made with tender, chewy farro. To help the vegetables develop the most color, resist the urge to stir them during cooking.
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23of 31
Olive Brine–Marinated Pork with Roasted Olives and Beans
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Here, we've combined olive brine with sage and lemon to punch up your weeknight pork tenderloin.
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24of 31
Lentil and Bean Stew with Gremolata
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Lentils add a delicious earthy flavor to the stew; their starchiness helps thicken the broth. Brown lentils work fine in this recipe, but we prefer French green lentils; they hold their shape better. Feel free to cook dried beans especially for this recipe, but any leftover or canned beans—rinsed and drained—will work well.
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25of 31
Roasted Lamb Chops with Brown Sugar-Rum Glaze
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These savory lamb chops from celebrated chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls get brightened up with loads of peeled garlic and rubbed sage. A spiced brown sugar glaze adds even more flavor, resulting in a dish that's bold and balanced.
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26of 31
Kale-Artichoke Stuffed Shells
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Cannellini beans add hearty creaminess to these stuffed shells, while mild heat from Calabrian chiles and earthy sweetness from fennel seeds amp up jarred marinara sauce.
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27of 31
Puntarelle-Citrus Salad with Roasted Beets
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Puntarelle stays bright and crisp in this salad, while beets bring a tender, earthy sweetness. Puntarelle is a specialty buy—check your local farmers market, or substitute another bitter chicory.
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28of 31
Banana Leaf-Wrapped Lamb Shank Tamales with Morita Chile Salsa
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These smoky braised-lamb tamales, a favorite at event producer Paola Briseño González's holiday tamale parties, get a pop of freshness from bright cilantro-onion relish, while a wrapper of banana leaves perfumes the masa with a softly sweet aroma as they steam. The banana leaf wrappers also yield tamales with a dense, custard-like texture. The rich, slow-cooked flavor of lamb shanks is the perfect partner for the intense smokiness of morita chiles; substitute chipotles in a pinch.
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29of 31
Seared Scallop Stew with Winter Vegetables
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Corey Lee's rustic French farmhouse stew is packed with hearty winter vegetables and topped with gorgeous pan-seared scallops.
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30of 31
Instant Pot Short Ribs with Triple-Cream Mashed Potatoes
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A bed of extra-creamy potatoes makes the perfect base for these short ribs, but the sleeper hero of this recipe is the simple salad of apple, celery, and toasted hazelnuts, which provides balancing acidity, brightness, and crunch to this exquisitely comforting dish.
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31of 31
Winter Galette
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The versatile dough for this galette is easy to prepare and shape into a free-form crust. Fresh ricotta, infused with herbs and lemon zest, forms a creamy and aromatic base for the seasonal vegetables that roast on top.
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