Cold Weather Recipes: 10 Meals to Warm Your Heart & Your Home

At the end of a chilly day, a home-cooked meal brings warmth and joy to the dinner table. Having several cold-weather recipes in your repertoire ensures you’re prepared to cook any cuisine for which you have a craving.

To help you build a collection of cold-weather recipes, we’ve put together a list of our favorites. We’ve also compiled a few of our top eco-friendly cooking tips to keep every meal scrumptious and sustainable.

Here are some of our favorite recipes and cooking tips for when it’s cold outside!

Eco-Friendly Cooking When It’s Cold Outside

A warm, tasty meal is awesome, but cooking in the chillier months is about more than just good food. Like most of the year, minimizing waste, maximizing energy efficiency, and promoting local business all take center stage when the temperatures drop.

• Shop locally to support hometown farmers and grocers.
• Eat in-season fruits and veggies to reduce food mileage.
• Compost leftovers and make nutrient-dense soil for the spring.
• Use eco-friendly cookware to protect yourself and the environment.
• Turn off the heater because an oven or stove will surely warm up your kitchen.
• Opt for recycled paper towels and protect forests around the world.

These six simple tactics will take your cold-weather recipes to the next level. Protecting the planet will make every bite of food even more delicious!

10 Heart-Warming Cold Weather Recipes

Everyone loves a warm, home-cooked meal in the chillier months, but not everyone has the time to plan and prepare complex dishes. Finding simple yet scrumptious cold-weather recipes can be a struggle.

Luckily, Buzzfeed Tasty and The Food Network have an endless supply of delicious, heart-warming meals. After looking at countless different cold-weather recipes, we’ve brought you our favorites!

• Baked Spinach Ravioli (outlined below)
• Rachael Ray’s Chicken Mug Pie
• 20-Minute Beef and Brocolli Noodle Stir Fry
• Sunny Anderson’s Chunky Chicken Chowder
• Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
• One-Pan Creamy Gnocchi with Sausage
• Giada De Laurentiis’ Winter Minestrone
• Slow Cooker Beef Paprikash
• Braised Short Ribs with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
• Chicken and Barley Soup

These 10 cold-weather recipes are easy to make and boast unmatched flavor. Whatever you’re in the mood for, these recipes will leave you feeling warm and satisfied.

Making Our Favorite Recipe

Whether you’re a broke college student, a working mom, or anyone in between, this Baked Spinach Ravioli is for you! For less than $2 a plate, you can dig into this one-pan recipe in 30 minutes flat.

Without further ado, here’s how to cook Baked Spinach Ravioli!

Ingredients

To get started on this recipe, these are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 9-ounce packages refrigerated cheese ravioli
• 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Start by preheating the broiler and melting the butter in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion, garlic, and rosemary and cook. Stir until the onion is soft and begins to brown. This will take about six minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the flour and cook. Stir until smooth and bubbling. This will take about two minutes.
4. Stir in the water, milk, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
5. Stir in the ravioli and cook. Stir occasionally until the ravioli are tender and the sauce thickens. This will take anywhere from five to seven minutes.
6. Take the pan off the heat. Discard rosemary sprigs and stir in the spinach. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan.
7. Place under the broiler until golden and bubbling. This will take about 5 minutes.
8. Remove from the broiler and enjoy!

Cold-Weather Recipes for Every Occasion

When the temperature drops and the sun sets, a home-cooked meal warms your heart and fills your belly. Whatever you’re in the mood for, our 10 favorite cold-weather recipes will leave you full and warm.

This year, have some fun in the kitchen! Cook delicious food, but please, do so sustainably.

For more fun and interesting ways to live sustainably, follow us on social media!