15+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Winter

These simple winter dinners require just 20 minutes or less of active cooking time, so you can get in and out of the kitchen. We’ve collected recipes that are as easy as they are delicious, and you’re sure to find something to whet your appetite. Recipes like our Sheet-Pan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and Garlic-Butter Mushroom Steaks are healthy, flavor-packed ways to end your day.

Sheet-Pan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower

Roasting the vegetables in the oven before blending them intensifies their flavors, resulting in a deeply rich and flavorful fall soup. We love the sweet and nutty flavor of butternut squash, but any winter squash with a similar texture, such as acorn, honeynut or kabocha squash, can be used in its place.

Garlic-Butter Mushroom Steaks

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jasmine Smith, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

Garlic-butter mushroom steaks are a savory and delicious plant-based dish perfect for mushroom lovers and steak enthusiasts alike. We pair juicy portobello mushroom “steaks” with a buttery garlic sauce flavored with rosemary, for a mouthwatering combination that’s sure to impress. Swap out the rosemary for another woody herb like sage or thyme for a different twist.

Honey-Garlic Chicken Casserole

Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Lauren Odum

This honey-garlic chicken casserole is the perfect option for when you want a stir-fry with less mess to clean up. To keep prep to a minimum, we use precooked brown rice. Look for it in pouches at the store or whip up this one-pot meal when you have leftovers to spare.

Loaded Cabbage Steaks

Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Amanda Stanfield, Prop Stylist: Tucker Vines

Melted cheese, bacon, scallions and a touch of sour cream are perfect toppings to add to a nicely seared cabbage steak in this low-carb twist on a classic loaded baked potato. To make this meal vegetarian, leave out the bacon, or swap it out for veggie bacon or roasted mushrooms. Roast any extra cabbage you may have separately, or store it and save it for another use.

Buffalo Cauliflower Grain Bowl

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

This Buffalo cauliflower grain bowl is a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional Buffalo wings, packing plenty of gut-healthy fiber and plant-based protein. It features a variety of fresh and colorful vegetables on a bed of precooked brown rice to keep prep speedy. Feel free to swap out the rice for another whole grain.

Easy Slow-Cooker Potato-Leek Soup with Boursin

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

This creamy slow-cooker leek soup showcases leeks’ mild onion flavor, enhanced by plenty of fresh and dried herbs and with potatoes adding texture and body. Boursin is a soft, spreadable cheese, similar to whipped cream cheese, that comes in a variety of flavors. We like how the garlic-and-herb flavor enhances the overall flavor of the soup, but you can substitute sour cream.

Cabbage Steak Marsala

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

This easy vegetarian cabbage steak recipe features thick slices of cabbage roasted and smothered in a classic Marsala mushroom sauce. If you have leftover cabbage, roast it separately or store it and save it for another use. The best substitute for Marsala is Madeira, another kind of fortified wine with a similar flavor profile. If you’re looking for a nonalcoholic substitute, balsamic vinegar can stand in for the Marsala wine.

20-Minute Udon Noodle Soup with Buttery Tomato Broth

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

The scents of cinnamon and star anise add big flavors to this quick soup. Butter adds body and a silky texture. Fresh udon noodles take only a few minutes to cook, but dry udon noodles work well here too. There’s no need to strain the broth to remove the spices. You can simply remove the spices with a slotted spoon when you pour the broth over the noodles, if desired.

20-Minute Creamy Mushroom Soup with Sherry

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

This quick creamy mushroom soup is loaded with earthy wild mushrooms enhanced by the flavor of dry sherry. To keep prep to a minimum, look for sliced wild mushrooms in packages, or slice your own using whatever combination you prefer.

Cheesy Cauliflower Steak Pizzas

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

We ditch traditional pizza crust in favor of cauliflower “steaks” for these cheesy pizzas. The steaks are cooked just enough to develop a sweet roasted flavor that pairs beautifully with the toppings. While we love this veggie-packed version, you can top your cauliflower-steak pizza with just about anything.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes & Broccolini

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

Chicken thighs and sweet potato get crispy in the oven while broccolini roasts alongside in a foil packet for even cooking and easy cleanup. Pro tip: Place the chicken thighs in the corners of the baking sheet, where there is more air circulation, for crispy skin.

Creamy Baked Feta & Butternut Squash Soup

Peyton Beckworth, Food Video Fellow

This subtly sweet baked feta and butternut squash soup starts in a casserole dish and ends in the blender for a smooth and creamy finish. The chili crisp adds texture and spice that ties everything together. If you want to tame the heat, you can skip the chili crisp and drizzle the soup with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika instead.

Roasted Chickpea & Cauliflower Pitas with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Nicole Hopper, Prop Stylist: Tucker Vines

These pitas are piled high with roasted veggies for a satisfying vegetarian dinner. Be sure to dry the chickpeas well or they won’t crisp up in the oven. Wet chickpeas will also create steam that may prevent the cauliflower from getting nicely browned. Bibb lettuce works well with these pitas, but a handful of arugula leaves would be just as nice. If you have it, a garam masala or shawarma spice blend can be used in place of the spices.