The first cold night has a way of changing what sounds good for dinner. These 19 recipes bring plenty of hot bowls, creamy sauces, tender meat, rice, pasta, curry, and slow-cooked dishes to the table. Some are ready in 30 minutes, while others have more time to simmer or roast when the evening allows it. Either way, there is plenty here for the kind of night when staying inside sounds better than going anywhere.
Rasta Pasta
Creamy Cajun sauce clinging to pasta and chicken makes Rasta Pasta especially appealing when the temperature drops. Penne combines with chicken breast, red, green, and yellow bell peppers, heavy cream, Parmesan, thyme, paprika, and Cajun seasoning. The recipe serves four in 30 minutes. A little reserved pasta water loosens the sauce if needed, while extra Parmesan or fresh herbs can finish each bowl before dinner reaches the table.
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Wonton Soup
Fragrant broth filled with tender dumplings makes Wonton Soup easy to settle into on a chilly evening. Frozen wontons simmer with shiitake mushrooms, broccolini, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, chicken broth, and soy sauce. The recipe serves four in 30 minutes. Finish each bowl with sliced green onions and add chili oil if you want extra heat. The light broth still has enough wontons and vegetables to make dinner feel complete.
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Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry
Silky coconut sauce surrounding plump shrimp gives Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry plenty of warmth without a long cooking time. Shrimp cooks with coconut oil, garlic, ginger, shallots, curry powder, fish stock, fish sauce, and coconut milk. The recipe serves two in 35 minutes. Spoon it over rice if you want something to catch the sauce, then finish with green onions for a dinner that brings plenty of flavor to a cold evening.
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Shrimp Etouffee
Deep Cajun flavor and a thick roux-based sauce make Shrimp Etouffee the kind of dinner that feels right when the weather turns. Shrimp cooks with butter, flour, onion, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. The recipe serves six in 47 minutes. Spoon it generously over rice and scatter green onions on top so every serving gets plenty of sauce.
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Kimchi Stew
Spicy broth, sour kimchi, and tender tofu give Kimchi Stew enough heat to make a cold evening feel much less noticeable. Kimchi simmers with onion, garlic, sesame oil, dashi or fish stock, soy sauce, chili flakes, tuna, tofu, and a little sugar. The recipe serves four in 30 minutes. Add sliced green onion or chili at the end, then serve the stew piping hot with rice alongside if you want a larger meal.
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Marry Me Lentils
Rich sauce around tender lentils makes Marry Me Lentils a filling dinner that comes together without much waiting. Lentils cook with red onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock, coconut milk, spinach, basil, nutritional yeast, and warm seasonings. The recipe serves six in 35 minutes and is made in one pan. Spoon it into bowls on its own or add bread or rice when you want something extra to soak up the sauce.
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Minestrone Soup
Chunky vegetables, beans, and small pasta shells give Minestrone Soup plenty to scoop up in every spoonful. Onion, celery, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, white beans, kidney beans, green beans, spinach, and shell pasta simmer in an Italian-seasoned broth. The recipe serves eight in 45 minutes and cooks in one pot. Bring crusty bread to the table if you want something for dipping while the soup is still steaming.
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Butternut Squash Risotto
Creamy rice folded with sweet roasted squash makes Butternut Squash Risotto worth the extra stirring on a cold night. Arborio rice cooks with onion, garlic, vegetable broth, olive oil, butter, cheese, and cubes of butternut squash. The recipe serves four in 1 hour 10 minutes. Keep the broth warm as you add it gradually, then finish each bowl with extra cheese or parsley when you want dinner to feel a little more substantial.
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Chicken Dumpling Soup
Soft dumplings floating in a thick chicken broth make Chicken Dumpling Soup the kind of bowl that can handle dinner on its own. Shredded chicken joins onion, carrots, celery, garlic, broth, evaporated milk, butter, flour, and fresh thyme before the dumplings cook on top. The recipe serves six in 45 minutes. Ladle it into deep bowls while everything is hot, making sure each serving gets both chicken and plenty of dumplings.
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Egg Roll in a Bowl
Savory beef and tender cabbage give Egg Roll in a Bowl the familiar filling of an egg roll without needing wrappers or frying. Ground beef cooks with onion, carrot, garlic, green cabbage, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a little sugar. The recipe serves four in 20 minutes. Finish it with green onion and sesame seeds, then eat it straight from the bowl when a hot dinner sounds better than spending much time cooking.
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Chickpea Curry
Thick tomato and coconut sauce around chickpeas and potatoes gives Chickpea Curry enough substance for a chilly-night dinner. Chickpeas simmer with potatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, tomatoes, vegetable stock, spinach, coconut milk, and mango chutney. The recipe serves four in one hour. Spoon it over rice or serve naan alongside if you want something to catch every bit of sauce left at the bottom of the bowl.
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Coconut Ramen
Creamy broth with noodles, mushrooms, and greens makes Coconut Ramen a fast answer when you want something hot without waiting all evening. Ramen noodles cook with mushrooms, garlic, ginger, broth, curry paste, bok choy, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, turmeric, and lime. The recipe serves four in 30 minutes. Add boiled eggs, sesame seeds, green onions, and chili oil before serving for a bowl with plenty going on.
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Baked Rice
Tender rice and vegetables cooked together in the oven make Baked Rice useful when standing over a skillet does not sound appealing. Long-grain rice bakes with chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and frozen vegetables in a 9×13-inch dish. The recipe serves six in one hour. Pair it with chicken or another protein, or use a larger serving when you want a simple dinner that mostly takes care of itself.
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Gnocchi Soup
Pillowy potato gnocchi in a creamy broth gives Gnocchi Soup enough richness for the first truly cold evening of the season. Cooked chicken joins celery, onion, carrots, garlic, chicken broth, half-and-half, thyme, spinach, and gnocchi in one stockpot. The recipe serves eight in 30 minutes. Ladle it into bowls while the gnocchi is tender and finish with black pepper or extra herbs if you want a little more on top.
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Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Tender chicken sitting over seasoned rice makes Instant Pot Chicken and Rice a full dinner from one pressure cooker. Bone-in chicken thighs cook with long-grain rice, chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and frozen vegetables. The recipe serves six in 27 minutes, including release time. Fluff the rice after opening the pot, then divide the chicken and rice together so every plate gets both the savory cooking juices and vegetables.
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Ham and Split Pea Soup
Thick split peas and smoky pieces of ham make Ham and Split Pea Soup especially suited to a night when the air suddenly turns cold. Split peas simmer with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, a meaty ham bone, cooked ham, cumin, thyme, and Italian seasoning. The recipe serves six in 1 hour 40 minutes. Make extra if you can, since the soup reheats well and becomes an easy lunch or dinner later.
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Jambalaya
Steaming rice with sausage and shrimp makes Jambalaya a hearty one-pot dinner with plenty packed into every serving. Beef sausage and shrimp cook with onion, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, long-grain rice, tomatoes, chicken broth, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and smoked paprika. The recipe serves six in 50 minutes. Bring the Dutch oven straight to the table and add hot sauce or green onions if anyone wants a stronger finish.
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Beet Soup
Deep red color and smooth texture make Beet Soup a striking bowl for a chilly evening. Fresh beets cook with onion, garlic, vegetable broth, olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper before the soup is blended smooth. The recipe serves four in 1 hour 20 minutes. Add a spoonful of yogurt and fresh parsley at the end if you want a creamy finish against the earthy beets and savory broth.
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Braised Lamb Shank
Fall-apart meat and potatoes soaking up savory juices make Braised Lamb Shank worth turning on the oven for when the night gets cold. Lamb shanks roast with potatoes, onion, rosemary, white wine, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the same roasting pan. The recipe serves four in 1 hour 20 minutes. Spoon some of the pan juices over both the lamb and potatoes before serving so nothing from the slow roast gets left behind.
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