Fast & Fresh Winter Meals

Homemade mac’n’cheese in 30 minutes? It’s true. Creamy and bacon-studded, this dinner is the ultimate quick, comfort food.

Recipe:  Bacon and Herbs Mac ‘n’ Cheese 

Reader Tom Trapani, of Millbrae, California, likes to make this sandwich when fresh Dungeness crab is in season and less expensive. He also serves it on toasted French bread with a slice of tomato.

Recipe: California Crab Sandwich

For an easy vegetarian version of this hearty main dish, omit the bacon and add a little more olive oil when you sauté the shallot mixture.

Recipe: Spicy Rainbow Chard with Bacon and Polenta

This Asian-inspired salad would also be good made with chicken or shrimp instead of pork.

Recipe: Chinese Black Pepper Pork and Spinach Salad

Our version of this classic soup is medium-hot, but if you like it a little spicier, use the higher amount of serrano chile and a pinch more cayenne.

Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chinese long beans (or regular green beans) and plenty of fresh herbs turn this Thai-inspired dish into a whole meal.

Recipe: Southeast Asian Chicken and Noodles

You could easily substitute ground beef or even turkey for the lamb in this flavorful one-pot dish.

Recipe: Lamb Keema with Potatoes and Peas

With the accompanying Brussels sprouts and potatoes combo, sliced steak becomes a complete meal.

Recipe: New York Strip Steak with Brussels Sprout Hash 

Using fresh chard leaves in place of the usual basil is a great way to enjoy the classic sauce when winter greens are in season. You could also try spooning the pesto over squares of pan-browned polenta instead of pasta.

Recipe: Swiss Chard Pesto Pasta

We like to make this in a double batch so there’s plenty for lunch the next day.

Recipe: Coconut Shrimp Curry

These giant dumplings are like a meatball and a pot sticker in one, surrounded by a rich broth.

Recipe: Chicken and Shrimp Dumplings in Shiitake Broth

This hearty frittata is great for brunch or dinner.

Recipe: Swiss Chard and Sausage Frittata

This Southwestern-inspired soup hits all the right notes: solid protein from the beans, crunchiness from the cucumber, creaminess from the avocado, a sweet hit of acidity from the citrus, and a hint of spice.

Recipe: Black Bean Soup with Avocado, Orange, and Cucumber

Here’s a recipe to add to your go-to list: easy enough to pull off for a Tuesday night dinner but special enough to serve to guests.

Recipe: Gorgonzola-Stuffed Pork Chops with Pears

Medium cooked eggs are a nice addition to this heavily-spiced rice and chicken dish.

Recipe: Spiced Chicken Pilaf with Eggs

We like the robust flavor of red Swiss chard in this soup, but you could also make it with green Swiss chard, which is milder, or spinach.

Recipe: Ruby Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup

Lentils are a staple in India, and this simple weeknight meal is great way to introduce this flavorful cuisine to your family.

Recipe: Curried Lentils and Paneer

Panzanella, a traditional Italian bread salad, gets an upgrade with sweet roasted fennel, fried eggs, and crispy, salty pancetta.

Recipe: Roasted Fennel, Egg, and Pancetta Panzanella 

The salty, tangy pan sauce in this recipe by chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir would also be excellent with other cuts of pork such as tenderloin.

Recipe: Pork Chops with Mustard, Rosemary, and Capers

Kale’s hearty texture holds up to the high heat needed to create a crisp pizza crust. Its deep flavor is a great match for spicy chorizo and bold manchego cheese.

Recipe: Kale, Chorizo, and Manchego Pizza

This hearty, less-is-more stew riffs on rustic Italian flavors. Serve with crusty bread and a green salad.

Recipe:  Escarole and Cannellini Bean Stew

This jazzed up version of a sloppy-joe is miles away from the canned stuff, but just as quick. Fresh rosemary, honey and garlic add depth of flavor to the sauce, while goat cheese and baby spinach round out the sandwich and compliment the lamb beautifully.

Recipe:  Honey-Rosemary Lamb Sandwich

As satisfying as the version served at your favorite Thai restaurant, but enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. Flavors of lime, chile, and cilantro cut through the creamy broth for a tangy, silky combination.

Recipe:  Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

Need a quick one-pan dinner for two? Roasting all the ingredients of this meal together guarantees rich flavor and makes for easy cleanup.

Recipe:  Roast Chicken with Vegetables

This quick, one-pan dinner is chock-full of our favorite things: Sweet and tender shrimp, crisp green onions, and freshly shredded parmesan cheese.

Recipe: Shrimp and Chickpea Pasta

Oyster sauce adds wonderful ‘umami’ to this Asian-inspired dish, and can be found in the ethnic foods aisle of most supermarkets. Serve over fluffy rice for a satisfying meal.

Recipe:  Stir-fried Eggplant and Tofu

Search no further for that perfect leftover holiday turkey sandwich. This one has it all: Sweet caramelized shallots, pungent blue cheese, and tart cranberry sauce.

You might find yourself roasting turkey year-round just to whip up this tasty meal.

Recipe:  Turkey Sandwiches with Shallots, Cranberries, and Blue Cheese

These meatballs come with a surprise–hard boiled eggs in the center. Be sure to serve them over rice to sop up the rich, spicy sauce, and top with cilantro for a little color.

Recipe:  Stuffed Chipotle Meatballs

The fresh vegetables, tofu, and flavorful ginger in this Asian-inspired soup will keep you healthy, while slurp-able noodles and chicken meat ensure you’ll be satisfyingly full.

Recipe:  Japanese-stye One-pot Supper

Fideos (vermicelli) are much loved in Mexico, where they form the basis of thick, delicious soups. Usually the soups are served as a first course, but our hearty shrimp version is a meal in a bowl.

Recipe:  Shrimp, Ancho Chile, and Pasta Soup (Sopa Seca de Camarones y Fideos)

Last minute guests coming for dinner? Tender veal and a rich, marsala-laced sauce make this weeknight dish fancy enough for company.

Recipe:  Veal Scaloppine with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Boned, skinned chicken thighs are just as convenient as breasts, and they have an added advantage: Their succulent texture and robust flavor stand up well to braising.

Add the flavors of Italian salsa verde–bright parsley, tart lemon, piquant capers, and green olives–for a fresh, fast twist on cold-weather cooking.

Recipe:  Chicken Stew with Olives and Lemon

If you’ve only had hominy―big, starchy corn kernels with the hull and germ removed―in posole, you’ll be amazed at how delicious and satisfying it is all on its own. Here we cook it in the seasoning left in the pan by the sausages to maximize flavor.

Recipe:  Sausage with Hominy and Spinach

Chicken breast gets an easy upgrade with shredded coconut and curry powder. You can vary the sweetness of the dish with the type of coconut you use, or serve with Major Grey chutney for a bit of tang.

Recipe:  Coconut Curry Chicken

Whole-wheat pasta lends extra nuttiness to this Indonesian-inspired vegetarian entrée.

Recipe:  Sesame Broccoli Pasta

Recipe:  Penne with Broccoli

Serve this flavor-packed dish with lots of crusty bread to sop up the delicious Mediterranean-infused sauce.

Recipe:  Tuna with Tomato-Caper Sauce

Milanese refers to meat that has been pounded or vegetables that have been thinly sliced, dredged first in egg and then in a mixture of bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese, and fried. Although they’re not traditional, we like using panko (Japanese bread crumbs), because they make a crunchier crust.

Recipe:  Pork Milanese with Arugula, Fennel, and Parmesan Salad

This elegant pasta has only a few ingredients, but together they make an incredibly satisfying supper. The dish requires nothing more than a big green salad as accompaniment.

Recipe:  Smoked Salmon Vermicelli

This spicy 5-ingredient recipe takes almost no time to throw together. Serve it with rice and your favorite veggies for a easy, well-rounded dinner.

Recipe:  Spicy Sesame Scallops