Eating for the seasons is one of the delights for people who live in four-season climates. Winter has its own culinary charms with soups and stews making the menu more often than at any other time of the year.
If you are looking for some nourishing and delicious winter dinner recipes, check out the following dinner recipes.
1. Beef stew with winter vegetables
The great thing about beef stew is that you can make it on the stove, in the oven, or even in your crockpot. To make this meal, you’ll need a chuck roast or stew meat, 5 carrots, 4 large potatoes, 3 celery stalks, and fresh parsley along with seasonings to taste. Instead of using water to simmer, add some beef stock for a heartier stew.
2. Paprika chicken
In a large Dutch oven, sauté a small yellow onion in four tablespoons of butter until the onions are soft. Then add your cut-up pieces of chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and Hungarian paprika. Flip your chicken from time to time as it cooks on a low simmer. You can also add slices of bell pepper to complement this nourishing yet simple meal, one of the most popular in Hungary.
3. Tortellini soup
Tortellini soup is a hearty meal that is simple to make using your favorite minestrone recipe. When the soup is nearly done, you simply add in some frozen cheese tortellini to make an ordinary soup into a delicious meal. To make your soup even heartier, you can add some Italian sausage or small cubes of cooked beef while your soup is simmering.
4. Roast turkey breast paninis
If you aren’t planning to serve a sit-down dinner, a turkey breast in the oven is still a great idea for those lazy days when the family is just sitting around watching movies or football games. Use thick slices of roast turkey to make paninis with honey mustard, provolone cheese, roast peppers, or any other ingredients your family loves. This is a nourishing meal you can serve with oven fries.
5. Simmered barbecue pork chops
If you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal, you can cook your pork chops in a large covered pan along with your favorite barbecue sauce. Be sure to dilute the sauce just a bit with some water. The slow simmer allows the barbeque flavor to penetrate the chops. Serve with a baked potato and salad for a simple but tasty meal.
More: 10 Quick and Easy Barbecue Recipes
6. Stuffed Portobello mushrooms
Large Portobello mushrooms are meaty in their way and perfect for filling with all sorts of ingredients. For this recipe, fill your mushroom caps with some diced tomatoes, a slice or two of prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, and some balsamic glaze. When your stuffed mushrooms come out of the 350-degree oven in about 14 minutes, top with fresh basil.
7. Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers
This recipe is a great alternative to traditional cheesesteak sandwiches, but just as tasty. Cut your green bell pepper in half and add your thinly sliced cheesesteak to them. Top with your favorite blend of Italian cheeses and a sprinkling of oregano. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the peppers have softened.
8. Slow cooker chicken stew with ginger
While you can add anything you like to a chicken stew, ginger gives it a warming heat that is perfect for chasing away those winter blues. Add your chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, to the slow cooker along with 2 cups of chicken stock, fingerling potatoes, 2 large carrots (finely chopped), and sliced mushrooms. Add a half teaspoon of dried ginger and cook on low heat for 8 hours. You can also add additional flavors like garlic and thyme for more depth.
9. French bread pizza
Though you can have pizza any time of year, you can make it heartier when you serve it on French bread. Cut your crusty bread loaf in half and coat each half with a thick layer of pizza sauce. Top with thickly sliced mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, crumbled Italian sausage, and mozzarella cheese. Bake in an oven set to 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.
10. Baked spaghetti
Using your homemade sauce or even sauce from a jar, you can give your spaghetti meal a winter upgrade when you bake it after it’s ready. Simply top your spaghetti with a layer of whole-milk mozzarella and a sprinkling of parmesan for spaghetti so tasty, you might prefer it this way from now on! Don’t forget to serve it with hot, crusty garlic bread on the side.
More: 5 Ways to Eat Heart Healthy through the Holiday Season
These warming dishes are sure to please your entire family. You can help make everyone’s mind off the cold when you serve these delicious meals for dinner. If you have your own winter dinner recipes, feel free to share them with us.
