Winter is the time for indulgences and comforts. That’s why it’s such a fantastic time for desserts, even cold ones. However, there’s nothing better for the soul (or the tummy) than a good, warm hearty meal that can heat you right back up after you’ve been outside in the cold. Even if you’re not going anywhere, a good warm, winter meal is the perfect thing to lift your spirits during the darker months.
Here, we’re going to look at a few meals that are just the perfect thing for a chilly winter evening. These meals are going to bring the warmth, the comfort, and maybe even a little spice when you’re needing it most.
Photo by Askar Abayev from Pexels
Bring out the best of beef
When you think of hearty, warm winter meals, then your first thoughts might go to roast beef. However, if you have a slow cooker, then there are few better things to do than to give beef the time it needs to bring every inch of flavor out, tenderizing the meat with a slew of juices at the same time. This Spring beef bourguignon recipe from Delish provides a great example of just how great it is to use your beef to soak into the right selection of vegetables, as well.
Don’t wait all day to warm up
Sure, slow-cooking a delicious cut of beef is a great way to bring out those rich, fatty flavors that can make any meal a mouth-watering choice. However, you might not have the time in the day to make such an involved meal. With that in mind, if you have only an hour to cook, all you need is a single pan to cook this Dijon-Maple chicken dish from PureWow. You cook the sprouts and butternut squash right in there with them, so there’s no need to fuss around with a bunch of pots and pans.
Add a little Mediterranean flavor to your potatoes
When you think of warm, hearty meals, then you might think of a plateful of steaming spuds, be it part of a stew, with roast beef, chicken breast, or otherwise. However, this staple ingredient isn’t without the potential for upgrades. Far from it, this boiled potatoes recipe from The Mediterranean Dish doses them with garlic, rosemary, and fresh parsley to make them even more fragrant and delicious. The next time you’re serving up a simple meal of potatoes and meat, you can take them to a whole other level.
Head to the Caribbean with your chicken
If we’re talking about traveling across the seven seas for your meals, then there are few culinary lessons to take from the Caribbean more flavorful than that of how to make a great Jamaican jerk seasoning. Sure, you can buy this in-store, but there are few better ways to cook your chicken than with this Jamaican jerk seasoning from Jo Cooks. Give your chicken a serious kick with a mix of cayenne pepper and nutmeg or, if you want to turn up the heat scale, you can replace the cayenne with a little Scotch Bonnet.
Warm-up with this delicious Korean soup
Meals that have a good amount of liquid to them are fantastic for warming you up on a winter’s day. However, if a little steam isn’t enough to turn up the heat, then you can opt for spicier options, as well. Yakgaejang isn’t just great comfort food, it’s also bright red with spice, thanks to the red pepper powders and pastes that are a crucial part of making it. It takes only an hour to make, as well, but it’s packed with more flavor than you might expect for your time.
For the meat-free option
If you’re looking to use a little less meat or want to stick to vegetarian and vegan options, then there are few better things to warm you up than a great French onion soup recipe. Now, you might be thinking “but doesn’t that use beef stock?” and in most cades, you would be right. However, this recipe from May I Have That Recipe uses mushroom broth, instead, which adds a delightful richness to the taste that even meat-eaters might prefer to the original. Best served, of course, with a fresh French bread bought on the same day.
Winter can be a cold, wet, and miserable season, meaning we need to find our comforts wherever we can get them. Hopefully, the meals above give you a little something to try to make your winter a little more indulgent at least.
