Winter is here, and with it, all the cozy recipes we associate with the season—from hearty soups and stews to comforting dump dinners and casseroles. Whether you need a simple weeknight meal, a delicious soup to warm you up from the inside out, or an easy breakfast for when it’s too cold to cook, you’ll turn to this collection of lazy winter recipes again and again.
Chicken Taco Dump Dinner
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“For this chicken taco dump dinner, chicken, beans, and salsa are mixed together, and layered with corn tortillas and cheese in an easy casserole,” says recipe developer Sarah Brekke. “Serve with any taco toppings you like, such as shredded lettuce, chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, taco sauce, sour cream, chopped avocado, and crushed tortilla chips.”
Garlic Noodles
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This is the simplest and fastest recipe I have in my arsenal and I love it,” says Frederick. “I have made it countless times and the great thing is that you can always add more ingredients, but you can never remove any! Highly recommended for an easy and tasty dinner!”
Easy White Chicken Chili
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This white chicken chili has a wonderful flavor and is especially good for a quick and hearty meal on a cold winter day,” says recipe submitter EPHESIS. “This recipe was given to me by a good friend and co-worker. It is the best!”
Minestrone Casserole
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
What’s more lazy, a casserole or a soup? It’s hard to say, but when soup season is in full swing, changing up the presentation might not be a bad idea.
“This minestrone casserole, with fresh vegetables, canned beans, and pasta in a tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, is a delicious new twist on minestrone soup,” says recipe creator Sarah Brekke.
Simple Hoppin’ John
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Hoppin’ John is a hearty dish made by slowly simmering black-eyed peas with pork and vegetables, thought to bring luck and prosperity for the upcoming year. This version is simplified to use frozen black eyed peas for easier prep—and lazier nights of cooking.
I Don’t Know
fabeveryday
“I would always ask my mom ‘What’s for dinner?’ and the response would be ‘I don’t know.’ I said I was going to make up a dish called ‘I don’t know’ dish. It turned out pretty good. Ground beef, potatoes and cheese are layered with a few vegetables in this simple one dish meal.” —Recipe submitter KRISTEN5
Super Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
This recipe for easy chicken and dumplings could not be more simple and it tastes great too! Mix in dried or fresh herbs, and sprinkle a bit of garlic or onion powder onto the biscuit dough to give the dumplings extra flavor.
Instant Pot Corned Beef
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This Instant Pot corned beef recipe is easy to prep and ready in just two hours,” says Allrecipes Allstar Nicole Russell. “The beef brisket is cooked with beer and garlic in an electric pressure cooker to guarantee juicy, tender corned beef every time.”
Avocado Breakfast Bowl
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
The winter months are not a bad time to recuperate from all the holiday eating. This recipe is just the thing.
“Heart health and protein in a bowl! This recipe is an unexpected kick of flavor with egg, red quinoa, avocado, and feta cheese!” says Allrecipes member Alisha. “Very easy to make and a delicious start to the day.”
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Fantastic! I have always kind of ‘winged’ it with corned beef and cabbage, with varying degrees of success,” says reviewer LSMARTIN. “I read many of the reviews and added a bottle of beer to the water to simmer the meat in. WOW! This is it! From now on, no more winging it!”
Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Carson Downing / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Joseph Wanek
“This gravy was delicious!!!!!! The roast was tender as well! I have to say one of my new fave recipes.” —yummy25
Mushroom Bok Choy Soup
Allrecipes / Qi Ai
“I made this bok choy soup with mushrooms, ginger, and garlic when my wife was sick and craving a nice flavorful brothy soup to help make her feel better,” says recipe creator Christopher. “It’s nourishing and delicious, and it really did the trick!”
Sautéed Asparagus and Mushrooms
Allrecipes Magazine
“Very easy to prep and quick to make. Love asparagus and mushrooms just give a hint of flavor,” says one Allrecipes member. “Great side dish.”
Quick Chili
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“When I told my wife I was making chili about an hour before supper, she told me it couldn’t be done. I did it and we loved it!” says reviewer gee. “I followed this recipe exactly how they have it played out, minus the hot sauce. It is amazing!”
Cast Iron Cornbread
“This cast iron cornbread is made with buttermilk and sweetened with honey,” says Chef John. “It’s very inexpensive to make, but that’ll be the last thing anyone will be thinking about as they eat it. In fact, you’ll probably be asked to bring it to the next gathering!”
Irish Champ
Grocery Addict
“Irish champ is similar to colcannon but is made by blending green onions or scallions with creamy mashed potatoes,” says recipe submitter Ita. “It’s great on its own, served steaming hot with extra butter on top, but it’s also a perfect side dish for good quality sausages.”
Best Breakfast Casserole (Hash Browns & Eggs)
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Make this about twice a month because it’s so easy. Definitely with some tweaks to the recipe though,” says ShinyYeast3968. “You can really make this your own recipe and mix it up however you want!!It’s so easy to make with very little cleanup involved.”
Suzy’s Mashed Red Potatoes
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This is keeper. It’s quick, simple, and hearty,” says reviewer Terri Featherston. “I’ve gotten away from making mashed potatoes because it’s so time consuming to peel potatoes. I love that I can come home and prepare this quickly and my family loves it.”
Porridge
Allrecipes / France Cevallos
“This porridge made with oats, bananas, and cinnamon is a favorite winter breakfast of ours,” says Allrecipes member AnneDuncan. “It’s hearty, warming, and tastes delicious!”
Roasted Cabbage
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“I was looking for a new way to make cabbage, and when I found this recipe, I made it that night to go with my Schweinebraten,” says one Allrecipes reviewer. “It was very easy to make and my family loved it. It is officially in my cooking arsenal!”
Reuben Casserole
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This tasty Reuben casserole with layers of sauerkraut, corned beef, Swiss cheese, rye bread crumbs, and Russian-style salad dressing is like a baked deli sandwich in a dish,” says Allrecipes member JAMON0126.
Easy Pizza Sauce
Allrecipes / Abbey Littlejohn
If you need a comforting and simple pizza sauce for any reason, this is the one.
“This is a top notch recipe! I did add some basil, red pepper flakes, and a can of tomato puree for texture,” says reviewer PORTLYCOOK. “It is so much better than anything you can buy. I like to make it a day ahead, you’ll find the flavors really blend well overnight.”
Fabulous Fried Cabbage
TTV78
“I had some cabbage that I needed to use up and decided to try this. Wow! What a hit,” says reviewer basg101. “The kids all had seconds and would have thirds if I had had more.”
Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Can you ever get enough of Brussels sprouts?” asks reviewer Abby Pfeiffer. “So many ways to prepare them…we loved this recipe and use it often, especially when entertaining. Yes, this recipe has converted some folks who previously wouldn’t touch Brussels sprouts with a ten foot pole!”
Instant Pot Collard Greens
Diana71
Need a simple way to make collard greens? This recipes is the one. “Very easy to make,” says reviewer Hderoba. “I also added some soul food seasoning that I had purchased. They were delicious! Even my husband and son loved them! I definitely will make again!”
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Allrecipes/Qi Ai
“My husband and I loved this soup. It is better than any restaurant soup we have ever had,” says reviewer HELENE AND BEN. “We cannot wait to make it again. I even took some to my mother because I wanted her to taste how wonderful it was!”
3-Ingredient Baked Pork Chops
Dotdash Meredith Video Studios
“Exciting news—you’re just three ingredients away from a magnificently meaty main dish!” says Allrecipes’ Nicole McLaughlin. “This crispy, oven-baked pork chop recipe works just as well for boneless, center-cut pork chops. Simply check them after 10-15 minutes and be sure not to let them overcook.”
Tuscan Chicken Simmer
fabeveryday
“We love this recipe! It is in our regular rotation. The kids call it green spaghetti and beg for it,” says reviewer Ellen St Peters Bennett. “Such a light, refreshing taste compared to the rest of our recipes.”
Easy Frittata
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
This frittata is a classic combination of bacon, cheese, and eggs, but it’s adaptable. “The variations are endless. I made mine with ham and shallots and followed the recipe with my cast iron skillet,” says reviewer JodiF. “You could make this for the meat lover or the veggie lover. It is a very easy recipe to make and a real favorite for the family!! Easy clean up too!!”
Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“This easy chicken tortilla soup is a delicious, zesty soup recipe with only 6 canned ingredients!” says Allrecipes member Terryn. “Serve topped with tortilla chips and shredded Cheddar cheese. Throw away the cans, and no one will know it is not from scratch!”
