green chile pork stew

8 Cozy Winter Recipe Ideas

Comforting? Yes. Stodgy? Never.

By Rachel BaronFeb 7, 2024
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Wintertime meals are often dominated by hearty, gut-warming stews, soups and casseroles. And as much as we love a heavy meal on a cold day, eating like this can get repetitiveโ€”especially during a long winter. These vibrant (but still cozy) winter recipes will revive your mind, body, and spirit, and hopefully keep you going until spring.

Green Chile Pork Stew

We knowโ€”youโ€™ve probably been eating a lot of stew lately. Yet this succulent pork-and-chile number is a horse of a different color: Chef Evan LeRoy of LeRoy and Lewis simmers a whole pork shoulder until it practically melts, then brightens it up with fresh cilantro and lime. Best served in a bowl, in a tortilla, or a little bit of both.

Classic Bouillabaisse

A hearty pot of seafood stew is accompanied by a bowl of sauce and some shellfish on a wooden table.

Vacationing in the south of France this winter? Neither are we. But you donโ€™t need to be in Marseille for great bouillabaisse. Case in point: this brothy, briny stew from Chef Julia Sullivan of Nashvilleโ€™s Henrietta Red, featuring clams, mussels, and shrimp for a veritable flavor vacation.

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Pot pies have long had a reputation as a stodgy dinner, featuring flavorless chicken and a sad, soggy bottom. Our Creative Culinary Director Rhoda Boone is here to change the narrative, producing a semi-homemade, flawlessly flaky top crust (no sog here) and a deeply flavorful sauce built entirely in our Enameled Cast Iron Skillet. The end result is one that will make you think twice before reaching for a frozen pot pie ever again.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

chicken and sausage gumbo

You know what your soup repertoire is missing? A classic, Cajun-Creole-style gumbo, loaded with andouille sausage, okra, and a whole, bone-in chicken. While you could buy rotisserie chicken and store-bought stock to save time, the Made In Studio team highly recommend making the whole thing from scratch if you have the time (and donโ€™t forget to try our seafood iteration, as well).

Chicken Posole

chicken posole

With a base of homemade chicken stock and enriched with nutty, creamy canned hominy, this posole (also stylized as "pozole") from Houstonโ€™s Chef Chris Shepherd is the perfect excuse to try something different than your standard chicken-and-rice soup.

Risotto Bolognese

A pot of soup with a ladle and a filled bowl on a kitchen counter, suggesting preparation or serving of a meal.

If wanting two of our favorite dishes at the same time is wrong, we don't want to be rightโ€”but youโ€™ll forgive us once you try this creamy, meaty masterpiece. Chef Brooke Williamson of Los Angelesโ€™ Playa Provisions cooks the arborio rice, browned beef, and stock together for a perfect stick-to-your-ribs hybrid of risotto and bolognese.

Braised Oxtail

A bowl of beef stew with carrots and a sprig of herbs, accompanied by a fork on a light background.

In this hearty winter braise, Houston-based Chef Peter Nguyen cooks his oxtails in plenty of beef stock, creating a thick, rich sauce as the collagen-rich meat breaks down. We highly, highly recommend serving over polenta to soak it all up.

Gochujang Mac and Cheese

gochujang mac and cheese

Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) brings a sweet heat and vibrant hue to your classic mac and cheese. Make sure to use a really good, sharp cheddar for the sauceโ€”it makes all the difference, trust us.

Ready to Cook?

Cold weather eating can be just as exciting, complex, and diverse as any other time of yearโ€”even without the seasonal produce of spring and summer. So eat up, and keep your palate sharp for spring produce, which is (thankfully) just around the corner.