Skip to Main Content Accessibility Help

21 hot and healthy meals for cold days

These recipes will satisfy your comfort food cravings all season long.

These recipes will satisfy your comfort food cravings all season long

CBC Life · Posted: Nov 18, 2020 5:32 PM EST | Last Updated: November 18, 2020

(Photogrpahy, left and middle: Betty Binon; right: David Bagosy)

We adore a piled-high full-dinner-plate salad, but when the cold weather settles in for the season, sometimes even a warm winter salad just doesn't cut it. To satisfy cravings for brothy, saucy, heartwarming dishes, we turned to our archives and curated a list of 21 recipes that meet our cozy criteria but aren't as indulgent as some other comfort foods. Below, our selects for hot and healthy-ish meals to make during the chilly months ahead.

Satisfying stews

Root Vegetable Stew with Rosemary Garlic Baguette

Overhead shot of a red dutch oven with a root vegetable stew on a wooden surface. 2 bowls of the stew and a plate with sliced bread sit next to the dutch oven. — (Photo credit: Dennis The Prescott)

Grapefruit Chicken Stew with Couscous

(Credit: Hungry Gap Productions Ltd.)

Khorak Bademjoon

Overhead shot of Khorak Bademjoon (Eggplant Stew) on a white serving dish, with small bowls of limu omani (dried Persian lime) and mint leaves next to it. — (Photography by Betty Binon)

Khoresh Ghormeh Sabzi

Closeup on a blue pot filled with Khoresh Ghormeh Sabzi (Fresh Herb Stew). — (Photography by Eric Wolfinger)

Sheet pan perfection

Chicken Cacciatore Sheet Pan Dinner

Overhead shot of a sheet pan with roasted chicken thighs, tomatoes, and pieces of mushrooms, red pepper and onion on it. It's sitting on a grey wooden surface with the fresh ingredients scattered around the pan. — (Photo: David Bagosy; Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Tray-Baked Salmon Nicoise

A large piece of baked salmon surrounded by potatoes, green beans and cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet. — (Photography by Jackson Roy)

Delicata Squash and Italian Sausage Bake

Overhead shot of a sheet pan on a dark grey surface. Slices of roasted delicata squash, onion, pieces of sausage and roasted rapini are on the pan. — (Photography by Betty Binon)

Egg-centric selects

Overhead shot of a cast iron skillet with shakshuka in it. — (The Goods)

Sweet Potato Goat Cheese Frittata

Roasted Eggplant with Baked Eggs

Overhead shot of halved eggplants on a baking sheet. They're topped with eggs and chickpeas. — (Photography by Kyla Zanardi)

Overhead shot of a frittata with lots of herbs topped with fresh dill, pomegranate arils and walnuts. It's sitting on a pink serving platter on a pink table. — (Photography by Betty Binon)

Soups (and a chowder)

Miso Soup with Root Vegetables

Closeup on someone ladling miso soup with root vegetables from a silver pot into two white bowls. — (Credit: Meg Tanaka and Zenta Tanaka)

Beet-Fennel Soup

(Photography by Ellen Silverman)

Chicken and Lentil Soup

Harvest Corn Chowder

a bowl of chowder filled with corn, chopped zucchini and red bell pepper — (Photography by Tim and Angela Chin)

Sweet Potato, Coconut and Ginger Soup

Overhead shot of bowls of creamy orange soup with a small toast on top of one. — (The Goods)

Even better the next day

Hungarian Stuffed Peppers

(Photo: David Bagosy, Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Closeup on a serving dish of paneer makhani. Pink and purple floral arrangements sit on the left and a plate of naan sits on the right. — (Photography by Betty Binon)

Baked Shakshuka with Butter Beans

Overhead shot of a silver pan with shakshuka made with beans instead of eggs. — (Credit: Nassima Rothacker)

Smoky Veggie Chili

(Credit: Jamie Oliver)

Related Stories

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

From life's little projects to its big questions; the latest in food, style, relationships, work and money, home, wellness, pets and travel delivered directly to your inbox each week.

now