Winter is the time to settle in, build up our reserves, and of course, eat lots of lovely warm comfort food. Here are some of the best recipes for winter comfort foods you will find.
Soup
Soup is the ultimate winter warmer comfort food and you can even take it with you in a hot flask when you’re out and about. If you’re looking for healthy soup recipes, check out this list of 72 healthy soups from BBC good food. If you want filling, family soups then my favourite is this one from spend with pennies, it’s a baked potato, cheese, and bacon soup. For more hearty comfort soups, check out this list of 60 comfort soups.
Casserole and Stews
One of my favourite casseroles is a good old sausage casserole with some barley in it and served with mash and greens. My husband loves a beef casserole like beef bourguignon or similar. He tends to just make it from memory now.
Roast
You can’t beat a roast dinner for winter comfort food. Christmas dinner, thanksgiving and just any given Sunday, a roast is the ultimate winter warmer. Our family favourite is chicken, a good vegetarian option is the Quorn roast, or take a look at these 34 alternative vegetarian roast dinners for inspiration. You can’t beat a bit of pork for crackling and then there’s the classic beef with horseradish sauce and yorkshire puddings.
Meatloaf
Winter warmers on a budget, meatloaf and baked potatoes with veg will warm you up on a dark night. Jamie Oliver has a great meatloaf recipe with tomato sauce that will kepp it nice and moist and delicious.
Vegetarian
There are so many vegetarian options I’ve already mentioned in the lists above, but here are a few standouts. One of our favourite all-time vegetarian dishes is Tarka Dhal from Rick Stein’s book Far Eastern Odyssey (which I highly recommend btw), it’s so warming and filling and tastes amazing. Another firm favourite in recent years is the Fast 800 recipe of mushroom and chestnut casserole. Taken from the Fast800 book by Michael Mosley.
Mushroom and chestnut hot pot
Dried mushrooms add a depth of flavour that makes this dish particularly rich and delicious. Serve with kale or Savoy cabbage.
Serves 4
Per serving: Cals 212 l Protein 5.5g l Fat 7.5g l Fibre 5g l Carbs 24g
- 15g dried, mixed mushrooms
- 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 400g mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 180g cooked, peeled chestnuts
- 100ml red wine (or water)
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tsp cornflour
Place the dried mushrooms in a measuring jug and cover with 500ml just-boiled water.
Stir and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a flame-proof casserole and gently fry the onion and fresh mushrooms for 6-8 minutes, or until the onion is softened and the mushrooms lightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more, stirring. Stir in the soaked mushrooms and their liquor, avoiding any deposits at the bottom of the jug.
Add the stock cube and stir in the chestnuts, wine or water, tomato purée, thyme and bay leaves. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.
Bring to a simmer, cover the pan loosely and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix the cornflour with 2 tablespoons cold water to form a thin paste, then stir into the mushroom mixture.
Cook for a further 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened and glossy.
Cook’s tip
Top the finished dish with 200g of thinly sliced celeriac. Cover and bake at 200c/fan 180c/gas 6 for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook for 10 minutes more, or until the celeriac is tender and golden (this adds 14 calories a serving).
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There is nothing more comforting than a cup of soup. Thank you for sharing!