Our favourite winter recipes
If there’s one thing getting us through the depths of winter, it’s food. From nourishing soups to winter salads to dreamy desserts, we’ve pulled together our favourite recipes for the short days and cosy evenings.
Kate, editor-in-chief
Meera Sodha’s beetroot and ginger soup
Even though beetroot is technically a summer vegetable, I’ve always associated it with winter (perhaps the deep reddish colour makes me think of Christmas?!). Another - not so unusual - foodie association I have with this time of year is soup. Nothing is more comforting to me in cold weather than a steaming bowl of liquid - whether that’s a minestrone, Jewish penicillin or my current obsession: Meera Sodha’s take on borscht.
This beetroot and ginger soup is incredibly easy to make but still impresses guests, particularly when you serve it with a spoonful of yoghurt (or a non-dairy equivalent) dolloped on top, along with an artistic scattering of sesame or nigella seeds.
Yotam Ottolenghi’s burrata with blood orange
There aren’t many things that I like about winter, but the fact that it’s blood orange season is one thing firmly on my (pretty short) list. This sweet-sour fruit is brilliantly versatile; equally as delicious in a tart as it is in a cocktail. My favourite way to eat it, however, is in salad form - and Ottolenghi has a recipe for a delicious blood orange, burrata and toasted coriander seeds dish.
Lynn, co-founder
Jenn Segal’s kale and brussels sprouts salad
I shared this gem with our friends of The Know in last month’s Quarterly Hug, but it’s too good to not share it with the rest of our readers - no gatekeeping here! It’s easy enough to make just for yourself on a low-energy Monday night, but also looks good enough on the plate to serve to friends.
I sometimes leave off the walnuts, depending on how I’m feeling.
Love & Lemon’s creamy mushroom polenta
This dish is the ultimate comfort food, and exactly what you need on a cold winter’s day. The chimichurri sauce is especially great, so I always make extra and use it to spice up other dishes throughout the week.
Esther, staff writer
Nigella Lawson’s bitter orange tart
For decades now, my granny has made the most of the all-too-short Seville orange season (which runs between December and February) by batch-cooking her delicious, bittersweet marmalade. In recent years, I’ve started paying tribute to this special season by serving up Nigella’s bitter orange tart, which looks - and tastes - like sunshine on a plate.
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s a little less rich but just as orangey, Claudia Roden’s whole orange cake is a classic for a reason.
Vincenzo’s Plate’s pasta alla buttera
This is a minimal effort, very delicious sausage pasta. It only calls for a couple of ingredients, but seems far fancier than it actually is (I think it may be the olives?!). I always use chilli flakes instead of fresh, rigatoni instead of mezzemaniche pasta, and it’s equally tasty without the cheese. Enjoy!
Lily, partnerships manager
Ixta Belfrage’s spicy tuna pasta
This dish is super easy to make and unbelievably delicious. It’s simple and quick enough to cook for yourself after a busy day at work and impressive enough to serve up to friends at a dinner party. I never thought I could be so blown away by tuna pasta! Everyone I’ve ever cooked it for has asked me for the recipe.
Nigella Lawson’s sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding has always been my absolute favourite dessert - there’s something unbelievably comforting about the sickly sweetness. This recipe is so rich and decadent that I usually save it for a special occasion, but the grey winter days make a good enough excuse, too.
Freya, content creator
Jamie Oliver’s minestrone soup
I love a cosy soup on a cold day, and this one is perfect because it’s a fully balanced meal in one pot – you’ve got pasta for carbs, beans for protein and a ton of yummy veg. You can pretty much chuck any vegetable you’ve got knocking around in there and it will taste great. Courgettes and leeks work really well!
Jennifer Meyering’s Chai Spiced Bread
I always need a sweet treat around 4pm, and especially so when it’s dark outside. This Chai Spiced Bread is the perfect balance of sugar and spices, and it’s really easy to whip up too. I’ve also found that baking is such a great way to unwind in the evenings – it’s away from a screen, but I also don’t have to engage my brain too much!
Happy cooking!