5 Cozy Dinners for Winter Wonderland

Whether you're buried in snow or you're wrapped up in cozy layers, we've got 5 weeknight dinners that will warm you through and through.

By
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel began testing recipes for Simply Recipes in 2018. She started her food blog in 2017 and taught children's baking classes around Seattle.
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Published December 20, 2021
Rachel Knecht
Meal Plan Week 2

We’re deep into winter and though it’s easy to wish for spring, I am trying to appreciate the season as it is now. And right now, it’s cold. 

In Seattle, where I live, it doesn’t snow often, but when it does, adults and kids alike get so excited! Last year we had enough snow for sledding, we cross-country skied along streets, and we made a village of snow people. 

To celebrate winter, I built this week's weeknight dinners around the small wonders of wintertime: a fire in the fireplace, a bowl of Chicken and Dumplings, and steaming Hot Chocolate.

How about you? What foods warm you from the inside out? I encourage you to make them this week. I've compiled some of my favorite wintertime dinners below. I hope they keep you warm and toasty. 

  • Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    Bowl of French Onion Soup with crusty bread and melted cheese on top with an Instant Pot in the background.
    Coco Morante

    French onion soup is comfort food, and the Instant Pot cuts the cook time in half. You can even make it on Sunday and assemble and broil it on Monday for a perfectly delicious soup with a golden ooey cheesy top.

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  • Chicken and Dumplings

    Dumplings recipe ladled in a bowl.
    Elise Bauer

    Chicken and dumplings always make me feel warm and cozy. The biscuits are steamed so resist the urge to peek in the pot while they cook. You’ll let the steam out! 

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  • Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaves with Crispy Broccoli and Mustard Glazed Potatoes

    Sheet pan meatloaf dinner on a plate with broccoli and potatoes.
    Sharon Lehman

    I love meatloaf and potatoes, but usually not for a weeknight dinner because they take too long to prep and cook. Roasting them on a sheet pan is so much quicker and easier. Personal-sized meatloaves, broccoli, and potatoes cook side-by-side. Use any type of potato you prefer. 

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  • Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos

    Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork
    Elise Bauer

    Pulled pork is great any time of the year; I especially love to make it in the slow cooker during winter. The aroma fills and warms our home. Serve this with yellow corn tortillas (warm them in the microwave stacked in between damp paper towels) and sliced red cabbage for crunch. To plan ahead, rub the boneless pork roast the night before and keep it refrigerated.

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    Continue to 5 of 6 below.

  • Salmon Chowder

    Salmon Chowder
    Elise Bauer

    January is soup season and Salmon Chowder fits the bill. Fresh salmon fillets are seared in a skillet and added to a pot of potatoes, leeks, cream, and bacon. Perfection! If using frozen fillets, thaw in the refrigerator the night before.

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  • Weekend Baking: Hot Chocolate

    hot chocolate

    Sally Vargas

    Five pantry ingredients and 15 minutes is all it takes to make four cups of deeply chocolate-y hot chocolate. Use non-dairy milk and any combination of chocolate you have on hand. For the best texture, buy chocolate bars and finely chop them with a serrated knife. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

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