Growing Homes for Growing Kids

40 Easy Winter Meals for When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

Kelli FosterCulinary Producer

published Dec 16, 2024

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Trader Joe's tomato soup gnocchi with spinach in a pot — Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Pearl Jones/Kitchn
Tomato Soup with Stuffed Gnocchi and Spinach

Often, when I don’t feel like cooking, I’ll make a dinner salad, a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, or a quick beans-and-greens sauté and call it a night. But come winter I crave dinners that are way more cozy and comforting than that. When I’m looking for something to warm me from the inside out — something that is just as saucy, cheesy, and hearty as they come — and I don’t want to make a big fuss over dinner, I turn to these winter dinner ideas. They’re quick and easy to get on the table, and keep the prep work to a minimum. From dump dinners to simple sheet pan solutions, these 40 recipes answer the call.

Healthy Winter Dinner Ideas

Take your pick between using your Dutch oven, casserole dish, slow cooker, or sheet pan. These wholesome winter dinners are equal parts easy and comforting.

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Credit: Kelli Foster

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Thanks to the Instant Pot, this bright and flavorful soup cooks up in less than 30 minutes.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo

This is the dinner to keep in your back pocket for those nights you get a late start on cooking and are greeted by a nearly empty fridge.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

20-Minute Pumpkin Soup

The easiest (and tastiest) pumpkin soup, thanks to a can of pumpkin and your spice drawer.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Sausage and Lentil Stew

Andouille-style chicken sausage packs this simple stew with tons of flavor.

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Credit: Ghazalle Badiozamani

Slow Cooker Coconut Lentil Curry

Here's an extraordinarily easy recipe that relies on simple pantry ingredients and a couple of spices, yet delivers a deep, bold flavor at the end of the day.

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Credit: Dan de Jesus

Whole30 Chicken

This 5-ingredient sheet pan chicken is a meal plan whether you're following Whole30 or not.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: CC Buckley/Kitchn

BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Green Beans and Cauliflower

Lean pork tenderloin is brushed with BBQ sauce, partnered with a couple veggies, and tossed on a sheet pan for an easy dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

3-Ingredient Oven-Baked Cajun Chicken Breasts

These oven-baked chicken breasts are super savory and slightly smoky with a bold flavor, and come together with just three ingredients.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

5-Ingredient Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

Browned sausage, tender sweet potatoes, just-wilted kale, and Italian herbs infuse store-bought broth in this hearty Whole30 soup.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman | Food Stylist: Cyd McDowell

Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers in Marinara Sauce

These protein-packed and fiber-rich stuffed peppers are the perfect vegetarian meal.

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Credit: Courtesy of Anna Jones

Lemon, Chickpea and Green Herb Stew

This lemony coconut and herb-topped stew has a freshness you'll love, but it is hearty and filling at the same time.

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Credit: Meleyna Nomura

Chicken Orzo Soup

Unlike most chicken soup recipes, this one is super quick- and doesn't require hours of cook time.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

With the help of an Instant Pot, this sage- and apple-scented soup comes together in a snap and makes enough to stash away in the freezer for a quick lunch.

Family-Friendly Winter Meals

This line up of cozy dinner ideas makes enough to feed the whole table and will be adored by big and little eaters alike.

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3-Ingredient Baked Caesar Chicken

If you’re stuck in a dinner rut, here’s the no-muss, no-fuss, flavor-packed chicken dish that’s going to snap you out of it.

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Credit: Christine Han; Food Styling: Pearl Jones

Easy, Creamy Beef and Shells

If you grew up loving Hamburger Helper, you're going to love this quick and easy from-scratch version of cheesy beef and shells.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Brett Regot/Kitchn

Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Sausage, and Butternut Squash

Nothing against boiled gnocchi, but crispy sheet pan gnocchi gives it some serious competition.

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One-Pot Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Orzo

It just might remind you of creamy risotto, but comes together with a fraction of the work.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Sheet Pan Quesadillas

No more standing at the stove! This large-format quesadilla makes enough to feed the whole table. Easy peasy.

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Credit: Amanda Paa

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup has everything from the creamy broth to the pillowy gnocchi, chicken, and vegetables.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

5-Ingredient Baked Potato Soup

Spoiler: No baked potatoes are required for this soup. Just one freezer shortcut will get you from done to devoured in less than 30 minutes!

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Credit: Brie Passano

White Rotisserie Chicken Chili

Leaning on a few shortcuts, this is a white bean chicken chili that can be churned out in under 30 minutes.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Gnocchi

This dead-simple, 3-ingredient dinner is exactly what to make on harried weeknights.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

Cook up a giant batch of posole in your slow cooker, and after an all-day simmer you’re in for a dinner packed with warm spices, rich flavors, and meaty shredded chicken.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Slow Cooker Shredded Balsamic Beef

The beauty of this super-savory shredded beef is its versatility. Pile it onto a roll with extra sauce from the slow cooker and maybe some cheese, similar to a French dip. Or spoon it over egg noodles or cauliflower rice, or turn it into a rice bowl with some leftover veggies.

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Credit: David Malosh

Lentil Parmesan Soup Recipe

You can use a couple of cans of whatever beans you like or have in place of the dried lentils in this soup.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Slow cooker baked ziti is just like the traditional casserole with tender noodles swimming in marinara & mixed with a double dose of gooey, melted cheese.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

5-Ingredient Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

Browned sausage, tender sweet potatoes, just-wilted kale, and Italian herbs infuse store-bought broth in this hearty Whole30 soup.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

One-Pot Weeknight Beef Stroganoff

Tender noodles, ground beef, and mushrooms all cooked together in a creamy, comforting sauce.

Vegetarian Winter Dinner Ideas

From soup to chili to pasta to pot pie, you’ll want to bookmark every single one of these super comforting recipes.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: CC Buckley/Kitchn

Creamy Mac and Cheese

It only takes 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to whip up the absolute creamiest mac and cheese.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman; Jesse Szewczyk

Creamy Ricotta Pasta with Broccoli

Five ingredients are all that stand between you and this totally comforting pasta dinner.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Easy Green Olive Pasta

When you sauté green olives and garlic in butter, the results are magical.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Pearl Jones/Kitchn

Tomato Soup with Gnocchi and Spinach

A bag of frozen gnocchi and fresh baby spinach are all you need to turn a box of creamy tomato soup into classy comfort food.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Tuscan Tortellini Skillet

If you need another reason to keep a bag of tortellini in the freezer, let this five-ingredient dinner be it.

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Credit: Olive & Mango

5-Ingredient No-Boil Baked Ziti

Meet the absolute easiest baked ziti you will ever make. Stir together dried pasta, marinara sauce, and lots of cheese in a baking dish, cover it tightly, and let it do its thing in the oven.

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Credit: Christine Han

Gingery Poached Egg Soup

This Asian-inspired soup has poached eggs and greens in a ginger-garlic broth, and it'll be ready in less than 15 minutes.

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Credit: Lauren Volo

Loaded Black Bean Nachos

This hearty and wholesome take on nachos leans on smashed black beans, tangy Greek yogurt, and guac to make it satisfying enough for dinner time.

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Credit: David Malosh

Winter Pasta with Olives, Herbs, and Lemon

This pasta is fast, warm, and bright, and made solely with pantry ingredients.

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Credit: Olive & Mango

Vegetarian Skillet Pot Pie

This easy meatless pot pie os filled with sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and kale that's prepared and baked in a skillet.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Vegetarian Chili

A simple combination of veggies, beans, and spices transforms into an easy, flavorful vegetarian chili.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Easy Vegetarian Tikka Masala

Unlike most meat-free versions of tikka masala, this one has lots of hearty vegetables, like cauliflower, thick-cut carrots, and peas.

This post was originally published on The Kitchn. Read it there: 40 Easy Winter Meals for When You’re Feeling Too Lazy to Cook

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