13 Cozy Winter Meals That Taste Like A Hug From Grandma
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on this site, I may earn a commission.
Read my Privacy Policy.
If you sometimes long for the comforting meals your grandma used to make, rest assured you can still enjoy meals like that. Grandma used plenty of real food ingredients and often cooked from scratch. But that doesn’t mean the meals were complicated or hard to make. Quite the contrary. Grandma knew how to make meals on a budget that used minimal ingredients and tasted amazing. Want to experience that again? Give any of these thirteen cozy winter meals a try.
1. Whole Roasted Chicken
The smell of this whole roasted chicken will have you standing right back inside of Grandma’s kitchen. This budget-friendly recipe is easy to make and there’s a lot that you can do with any leftover chicken you might have. You can even freeze it to use later in soups, casseroles, and stews.
2. Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatballs
These cranberry-glazed turkey meatballs taste just like something grandma would have made. They are sweet and savory and perfect for serving as an appetizer or a main dish. This is an excellent make-ahead dish to serve for an easy weeknight dinner or at your next holiday party. Pair with a side of rice and some veggies.
3. Baked Breakfast Apples With Oats And Cinnamon
Baked breakfast apples with oats and cinnamon are a delicious way to start your day. They are amazingly warm and comforting, and the variations on toppings for them are practically endless. You can make them in advance and simply warm them up before serving.
4. Sausage Kale And Potato Soup
In the dictionary next to comfort food there should be a picture of this sausage kale and potato soup. It’s flavorful, nutritious, and most of all it’s the perfect comforting meal for a cold day. It’s easy to make and guaranteed to be a hit at your dinner table.
5. Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Grandma might not have had an air fryer but her version would have tasted just like this air fryer chicken parmesan. This healthier version of a comfort food classic will have the whole family coming back for more. Serve it over pasta with a nice big salad and dinner is done!
6. Creamy Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
This creamy stuffed spaghetti squash is the perfect dinner for when you want dinner that’s cozy and comforting on a chilly evening. Spaghetti squash is stuffed with grape tomatoes, cream cheese, fresh herbs, and a homemade balsamic glaze. Serve it as a side dish to any of your favorite dinners.
7. Yogurt Chicken
This yogurt chicken has a delicious flavor and texture, thanks to being marinated in yogurt before cooking. Sounds like a kitchen trick grandma would’ve used, doesn’t it? This dish comes out cooked to perfection every single time and the sauce is out of this world.
8. Creamy Kale and Mushroom Pasta
This one-pot creamy kale and mushroom pasta tastes just like a meal out of Grandma’s recipe box. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner for a busy night when you want something comforting but don’t have a lot of time to spend on dinner. This would make a fantastic meatless Monday dish too.
9. Sloppy Joe’s
You’ll have the family running to the table with this sloppy Joe’s recipe. Make them with ground beef, chicken, or turkey and a scratch-made sauce that’s so easy you’ll wonder why you ever bought the canned stuff. Serve them with your favorite sides and dinner is ready.
10. Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken
You can never have too many chicken recipes. This creamy garlic mushroom chicken tastes just like something grandma would have made. This creamy and delicious recipe is dairy-free (though it doesn’t have to be) and family-friendly. Serve it over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes with your favorite veggies.
11. Apple French Toast Casserole
If you want your kitchen to smell like grandma’s, this apple French toast casserole is perfect for warming up your kitchen with homey smells. This casserole is filled with delicious cinnamon-apple flavor for a breakfast that everyone will be jumping out of bed for. You can make it in advance and it would be perfect for a holiday morning too.
12. German Potato Dumpling Soup
German potato dumpling soup is the recipe you need to warm up on a cold, dreary day. It’s hearty, comforting, and filling. Filled with veggies, chicken, and delicious, tender, potato dumplings, you’llll want to eat bowl after bowl. Just don’t forget a side of garlic bread.
13. Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apples
If you’ve got extra apples hanging around your kitchen don’t let them go to waste. Make these slow cooker cinnamon apples with them. Your whole house will smell homey and delicious and you’ll have an amazing dessert too. These would also be fantastic served over oatmeal on a cold, winter morning.
More From The Gracious Pantry
Need more dinner ideas? These can help. Chicken and turkey are very versatile foods that can be used to create an unlimited number of dinners. Here are 118 ideas to get you started.
