Winter Comfort Food Bucket List

Posted October 7, 2022 by in Lifestyle
butternut squash soup next to a fresh squash

During winter, people usually wear thick clothing such as scarves, boots, sweaters, and coats. Besides these winter season must-haves, warm comfort food helps us deal with the cold. What’s better than a plate of hot comfort food during cold winter nights?

People usually eat more during the winter; comfort foods not only leave us satisfied but also make us feel warm. This article covers winter comfort foods that will surely warm your soul and keep you warm throughout the winter.  

Hearty comfort food winter meal idea

1. Linguine With Tomato Cream Sauce

All you require for this dish are basic ingredients such as parmesan, paprika, half and half, and sun-dried tomatoes. This delicious dish is ideal for special occasions as well as weeknight dinners. 

This simple meal is easy to prepare; roast the red onions, garlic, and tomatoes on a tray, boil some pasta, and prepare dinner! If you don’t have parmesan, you can use basil instead. 

Doubling this recipe is easy; add an extra tray of tomatoes, and the sauce will freeze over beautifully.       

2. Creamy  Pasta With Kale And Lemon

This is a simple recipe that takes 30 minutes to prepare. Julia Nishimura is the genius behind this creamy pasta recipe that barely requires washing up or shopping.  

This recipe uses basic ingredients such as kale, yogurt, cheese, lemon juice, and garlic powder which you can find easily in outlets like Coles. 

If you can nail whipping up this dish, the flavor combos are limitless; the key is utilizing ingredients that cook simultaneously. 

3. Pasta e Fagioli

This bean soup and pasta is the food equivalent of a warm hug. The recipe consists of cheap and simple ingredients like pasta, beans, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. Nevertheless, pasta e Fagioli is a hearty meal that is more than the sum of the ingredients used. 

To make this dish tastier, you should allow the vegetables to soften so that they can release liquids and lend an unquantifiable richness to the final dish.  

4. Pumpkin Soup With Coconut Cashews

You should be excited to try this recipe as it consists of simple ingredients like coconut milk, spices, and curry paste that give it a lot of flavors; ensure that you adequately spice the cashews and leave them crunchy.

You can also make extra spiced cashews to serve as a pre-dinner snack. This recipe takes roughly 20 minutes to whip up and is the perfect blend of deliciousness and nutrients. 

5. Cottage Pie With vegetable

Cottage pie is the perfect comfort food for winter with its simple ingredients, easy preparation and cooking process, and a taste that’s so satisfying. Traditionally, this dish is made using mashed potatoes and minced meat, but you can put a twist to it by adding veggies to make it more nutritious.

 The rich deep taste of the veggies and minced beef gravy filling and the mashed potatoes’ golden brown topping combine for a finger-licking taste!

6. Cauliflower With Turmeric Sauce

Whole roasted cauliflower with turmeric sauce is the perfect main dish for special occasions or a cold winter night. 

If you’re tired of the same old recipes, you can swap the standard roast chicken with whole roasted cauliflower instead. While the cauliflower is baking, you can make turmeric and coconut sauce and fry up lentils as you prepare to enjoy a new kind of winter roast. 

Once you’ve mastered preparing the whole cauliflower roast, you can experiment with different sauces, such as lemon tahini with parsley, balsamic-soaked sultans, and black olives. 

7. Three-Cheese Pasta Bake

There are two ways one can make this variation of spinach and ricotta cannelloni. You can make your ricotta from scratch or use store-bought pasta sauce. 

If you are using a pasta sauce while making this dish, you can customize it by adding creme fraiche, harissa, dried spices, and garlic to give it more flavor. 

8. Sweet Potato Curry With Lime And Chickpeas

This creamy and mild curry is perfect for kids during the cold winter. It utilizes the immune-boosting combination of ginger, garlic, and onion to protect you from the flu. You can serve this dish with quinoa, noodles, or rice.

If you prefer a quick meal, ensure you dice the sweet potatoes into cubes to reduce cooking time. 

9. Brown Rice Congee With Chili Oil And Crispy Kale 

This is a traditional Asian winter comfort food with a modern twist. Jook or Congee is a spicy rice porridge staple in most Asian homes. You can make this savory dish at home using brown rice and add toppings of your choice.  

As you’re cooking, you can adjust the amount of liquid depending on your desired consistency. If you prefer a creamier meal, you should start with 6 cups. If you prefer it lighter, use 8 cups. 


Winter has magic that pulls children and adults alike; the comfort foods above embody the season’s spirit. Cozy and warm is an understatement regarding the dishes listed above. Regardless of what you’re looking for, you’ll find a new favorite on this winter comfort food bucket list.