50 Winter Recipes for Weekday Dinners

There's nothing better than cozying up on a cold winter evening with a delicious, warming home-cooked meal. These recipes will help you prepare a hearty dinner even on busy weekdays.

Quick Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce

The beauty of fish is that it cooks in minutes, making it perfect for a quick, tasty, and healthy dinner after work. In this recipe, Ree Drummond suggests making quick salmon in teriyaki sauce. Simply pan-fry the fillet and finish cooking in the sauce, adding a squeeze of lime. When choosing a side dish, opt for store-bought rice, which simply needs to be reheated in the microwave, or reheat leftover cooked rice. Drizzle the sauce over everything, and you're ready to go. A delicious dinner in 20 minutes—a dream come true!

Beef Stroganoff with Mushrooms in a Frying Pan

"Whenever I think of the dishes I loved as a child in the 1970s, beef stroganoff is the first thing that comes to mind," shares Ree Drummond. "It's so delicious! Beef stroganoff is the perfect combination of comfort and elegance. My mother made it all the time, and I still love it as much as I did then. I remember helping her in the kitchen as a little girl, and although I only changed a couple of ingredients in her basic recipe, the dish remained almost identical."

Pasta Carbonara

Eggs and Parmesan serve as thickeners for the creamy sauce for this pasta. The eggs cook as they're stirred into the hot spaghetti. To thin the sauce, add a little water after the pasta has cooked.

Tomato bisque

By adding heavy cream, crumbled bacon, and spices, you can easily transform a can of canned tomatoes into a creamy soup.

Chicken breast in mustard-tarragon sauce, mashed potatoes with brie cheese, and rainbow chard with bacon

Chicken in a velvety mustard sauce with tarragon is served with mashed potatoes and Brie or Camembert cheese, and braised rainbow chard with bacon and leeks. Everything cooks simultaneously, so you'll have a delicious, complete dinner on the table in just 30 minutes.

Chicken and Brussels Sprouts with Apple Juice Sauce

Make this simple baked chicken dish in the oven. Chicken breasts are cooked in apple cider, infusing it with rich flavor, while a fruit and vegetable medley bakes on another rack.

Cappelli d'Angelo pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese

Sun-dried tomatoes add a rich, piquant flavor to Giada's pasta. Fresh goat cheese adds a salty note to this dish, which takes just 35 minutes to prepare.

Chicken pie in a mug

Rachel's 30-minute version of the chicken pot pie is even cuter and more convenient—served in mugs with handles.

Portuguese Chickpea and Kale Soup

"This recipe is a quick version of a wonderful soup I had in Mystic, Connecticut, where there's a Portuguese community," says Rachel. "It's a winter wonder."

A fake pasta casserole with chicken sausages

Rachel's 30-minute casserole-like pasta is made on the stovetop. Finally, place the dish in the oven over high heat to melt the cheese.

Chicken "Stupe" with Zucchini and Provencal Herbs

This dish is a cross between a soup and a stew. The best part is, it's cooked entirely in one pot.

Spaghetti with meatballs in tomato sauce

It's hard to believe Rachel's spaghetti and meatballs take just 35 minutes to prepare.

Creamy sauce with mushrooms and Gorgonzola cheese for pasta

Heavy cream and blue cheese give this mushroom-based sauce a rich, full-bodied flavor.

French onion soup with sherry and brandy

Ina Garten's classic soup, made with brandy, dry sherry and sweet onions, is best served with thick-crusted bread.



We recommend

Florentine Meatballs

Drizzle turkey meatballs with spinach in a creamy provolone sauce. This delicious meaty version is ready in just 30 minutes.

Beef paprikash in a slow cooker

The slow cooker mode is a great help on a weekday: dinner is ready to serve in 8 hours!

Coconut milk curry with chicken and cauliflower

Kids, even the pickiest eaters, will love Melissa's chicken curry. Chicken breasts are topped with carrots and broccoli.

Winter Minestrone

Puréed cannellini beans with beef broth add a creamy texture to this hearty soup, while whole beans provide added texture. Giada De Laurentiis uses a secret ingredient in the recipe: frozen Parmesan rind, which melts slowly and adds a salty, creamy flavor.

Bean soup with minced meat and rapini

Rachel whips up a hearty soup in just 30 minutes—a dish made with sweet Italian sausage that's perfect for rainy days.

Chicken breast in lemon sauce

Rachel Ray's chicken dinner recipe is inspired by a diner menu item.

Baked pork cutlets on the bone, marinated in Asian style

Prepare an inexpensive Asian-inspired dinner from Melissa De Arabian. Roast a pork loin in a sauté pan until juicy and serve with an orange glaze. Use familiar ingredients, plus a few special ones found in the international section of your supermarket.

Quesadilla with chicken and sauce

This quesadilla is one of Ree's family's favorite dinner dishes. Let's be honest: when it gets cold, weekdays are all about cheesy, carb-heavy dinners.

Tacos in envelopes

Rachel adds onions directly to the beef patties to keep them juicy. When lean meat and traditional taco seasonings are combined in a patty, the finished dish is easier to eat in soft tortilla pockets.

Corn Chowder

Brown chicken in a pot to add rich flavor to a warming soup with potatoes, corn, and cream.

Carrot and ginger soup with baked vegetable puree

Add canned beans to the vegetable puree—they're rich in fiber and make the soup more filling.

Slow Cooker Curried Chicken

Start making this Thai curry in the morning, then top it with peanuts, cilantro, and lime after work and serve it for dinner.

Creamy orzo pasta with leeks and mushroom topping

There's no time to make risotto on a weekday. This creamy pasta is the perfect option for risotto lovers looking for a quick vegetarian dish with cheese.

Pork tenderloin with sweet and sour pumpkin

Use seasonal pumpkin in this easy pork dish. Roast butternut squash to enhance its sweet flavor and add capers for a salty note.

Pork stewed in fish sauce and stir-fried green beans

This version of the popular dish calls for half a jalapeño pepper, which adds a little heat.

Steak and potatoes stuffed with blue cheese

Baked potatoes are stuffed with blue cheese, sour cream, and chopped herbs—the perfect complement to steak.

Skirt steak with cheesy mashed potatoes

Fried beef steak with mashed potatoes and green peas is a classic that's always a hit, even for weeknight dinners, as this recipe uses inexpensive skirt steak. But the most delicious part of this dish is probably the tender mashed potatoes with gooey cheese. Consider this recipe for other dishes, too.

Flaxseed-crusted salmon with grape-walnut salsa

Crushed flaxseed is an unusual ingredient for baking fish. However, it creates an incredibly delicious crust, revealing juicy, tender salmon underneath. A dish for special occasions! Serve the baked salmon with a quick, refreshing salsa of red grapes, walnuts, and fresh herbs in a red wine vinegar dressing. You'll love the unusual combination of flavors and textures!

Crispy cod with lentils

For dinner, prepare cod fillet with a delicious, crispy breadcrumb crust and serve with lentils, vegetables, and salad greens. Perfect for a quick, tasty, and healthy dinner. To ensure the breadcrumbs adhere evenly to the fish, brush the fillet with Dijon mustard and fry it breadcrumb-side down in a skillet. Then flip the fish and finish cooking in the oven. Make sure to have a suitable skillet ready for this. For a quick side dish, use store-bought cooked lentils, which only need a few minutes to warm up with carrots and leeks.

Baked ravioli with spinach

Transform store-bought ravioli into a creamy, cheesy dinner dish that's ready in just 30 minutes.

Fried chicken breasts with apple glaze

Toss chicken with apples and maple syrup for a delicious dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes.

Carne asada tacos with carrots and peppers

Steaks for carne asada tacos grill fairly quickly. Grate carrots and bell peppers for a simple, crunchy salad.

Salisbury steak with French onion gravy

For meat lovers, there's nothing more delicious than a Salisbury steak. The soft, savory onions enhance the flavor of the ground beef patties.

Penne pasta with four cheeses, peas and ham

Tender pasta with ham and cheese is a dish the whole family will love.

Bean soup with Italian dumplings and green dressing

To save time, use store-bought pesto sauce, canned beans, and ready-made tortellini.

Winter Layered Salad with Beets and Brussels Sprouts

We've selected the best winter vegetables and layered the ingredients for a colorful salad. Barley has a pleasant texture, but you can substitute it with other whole grains, such as brown rice or quinoa.

Slow Cooker Rice Noodles with Pork

On a chilly evening, there's nothing better than a warming Asian-style soup with rice noodles, bok choy, and tender pork.

Thai Pork with Rice Noodles

Instead of going out to a restaurant, make Thai rice noodles with pork loin. The secret ingredient is brown sugar.

Spaghetti with chili meat sauce

Make this simple chili with ground turkey and serve it over spaghetti for dinner in just 35 minutes.

Flank steak with mac and cheese and broccoli

Make mac 'n' cheese for the kids with this quick recipe. All you need is milk and a few slices of American cheese!

Barley soup with chicken

Chicken soup is always a welcome addition to cold weather. This recipe calls for pearl barley, which makes the soup more filling.

Cuban sandwich with beef and potato sticks

This hearty dish, which takes just 35 minutes to prepare, features meat and potatoes sandwiched between slices of bread.

Stuffed potatoes filled with shepherd's pie

Instead of a casserole, make shepherd's pie—but in a more compact, individual-portion version. Fill a baked potato with classic ingredients and toast it in the oven until the cheese melts.

Shrimp and Avocado Burrito

Sometimes in winter you want to brighten up hearty meals with fresh flavors. These shrimp and fresh avocado burritos are light yet filling.

Fusilli with sausage mince, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes

Infuse simple pasta with bold flavor by adding savory Italian sausage, fresh herbs, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes in oil.







Categories: