25 Fresh and Comforting Recipes to Cook This January

Enjoy peak fennel season with this refreshing salad dressed in simple Dijon vinaigrette.

Warm and comforting, this chowder combines the smoky richness of black cod with hearty potatoes, tender kale, and a hint of vermouth. The addition of tomatoes and a square of kelp or kombu deepens the flavors, creating a nourishing and satisfying soup.

Raw broccoli chopped into tiny pieces is combined with aromatic vegetables and edamame, then generously dressed with an aioli spiked with Fly By Jing’s now legendary chili crisp.

Inspired by pakoras—Indian vegetable fritters—these are breaded in panko.

“This salad is all about texture. The crispy chicories, jammy dates, and crunchy walnuts are very satisfying,” says Kelly Mariani, chef at Scribe Winery, in Sonoma County.

This soup has two layers of kumquats–cooked in the soup to become mellow and tender, and finely chopped with parsley for a bright topping.

The ocean flavor of Dungeness meets earthy hominy in this twist on the Mexican soup posole. You could also use shrimp, scallops, or fat flakes of Pacific cod.

This salad goes all-in with the mushroom flavor, while salty pecorino and crunchy celery provide balance. Tearing the shiitakes into pieces makes for easier prep, and the jagged edges get nicely brown when sautéed.

A beauty to look at, this hearty vegetarian soup will brighten any winter table.

Crisp bites of bitter radicchio make an excellent match for dressing sweetened with a drizzle of reduced cider.

Santa Cruz, California, cookbook writer and cooking teacher Andrea Nguyen based this fragrant, creamy coconut-milk curry on one from James Syhabout’s now-closed Hawker Fare, in Oakland. Use asparagus or green beans instead of bok choy if you like, and serve it with steamed jasmine rice—or a warm baguette.

These plump gnocchi are cooked in gently simmering water, but the mixture can also be pan-fried to create crabcakes.

These little cakes are a snap to make and, with the salad, create a great vegetarian entrée for fall.

These short ribs are rich and warmly spiced and make a superb dinner for company on a fall or winter night. Serve alongside mashed potatoes spiked with freshly grated or prepared horseradish.

Tangy yogurt meets bold harissa in the topping for this gutsy chicken dish.

Served with chopped mixed winter greens and mashed root vegetables, this dish is both comforting and produce-packed.

Technically a seed (so no gluten), quinoa is touted as a superfood for its high fiber and protein. The runny yolk of a poached egg creates a little sauce on top.

A popular Japanese winter dish, warm soba with toppings is just the thing for lunch on an overcast day. The broth is made with dashi, a staple soup base whose delicate flavor comes from dried bonito tuna flakes and seaweed.

After a season of big eating, braised fish and vegetables are a welcome relief. This version is company-worthy, too, with chard wrappers around fillets and generous garlic and herbs.

We love the play of savory-sweet flavors and big textures in this hearty winter salad.

This dessert can only be described as if cornbread were transformed into a sweet, moist, fluffy golden cake.

These decadent and rich chocolate espresso cakes will satisfy any sweet tooth.

A press-in crust makes this dessert easy even if you’ve never made a pie. The brandied mascarpone topping gives it a special-occasion touch.

Yes, this is a drink, but it’s so rich it might as well be considered a dessert. With flavors of vanilla and orange, this sip earns its “Totally Decadent” title.

The standard batter for these sweet fritters uses rice flour; this one, by the blogging duo known as the Ravenous Couple, has coconut flour instead, which creates an extra-crunchy crust with a warm coconut flavor.