From comforting, veggie-packed soups and casserole dishes to citrusy snacks and sides, you’re sure to love these recipes. Not only do they have four- and five-star ratings for being super flavorful, but they also have been the most popular seasonal recipes on the EatingWell site. Try the newest dishes from 2023 like our Mainland Lu'au and High-Protein Lemon Blueberry Muffins to experience the best winter flavors all season long.
Mainland Lu'au
The Hawaiian word lu'au can mean three things: a gathering or celebration, the young leaves of the kalo (aka taro) plant, or a dish made with those leaves, coconut milk and sometimes chicken or squid. This recipe is a version of the latter from chef Kiki Aranita, made with collard greens, which are easier to find on the mainland. This lu'au recipe makes a generous amount, but you won't regret it since it holds beautifully—you can even freeze it so you have a nutritious side dish at your fingertips.
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
You won't be stuffing any peppers for this stuffed pepper casserole, but you will be enjoying the sweet and smoky combination of flavors coming from bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked paprika and ground beef. You can use precooked rice from the package or leftover brown rice if you have it. If using leftover rice, you will need about 1 1/2 cups.
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato & Chicken Pasta Bake
This creamy and flavorful fall pasta bake comes together quickly, thanks to rotisserie chicken and jarred sun-dried tomatoes that flavor the sauce. This easy pasta bake is perfect for feeding a crowd. If you’re watching your sodium, you can cook and shred your own chicken in place of the rotisserie chicken.
Creamy Lemon & Spinach Pasta Bake
This creamy and comforting vegetarian pasta bake is perfect when you want a pasta dinner that is light, bright and flavorful. This easy pasta bake is packed with spinach. Feel free to swap the spinach out for another green like kale if you have it on hand. Just be sure to remove the tough stems and chop it into smaller pieces before cooking. Depending on your green, you may have to cook it a little bit longer so it's nice and tender before baking.
Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner
This one-pan chicken dinner doesn't get much easier, or more satisfying. In just half an hour, you can have a complete meal on the table that doesn't require loads of dishes afterwards. We call for tender haricots verts because they're quick cooking; traditional green beans likely won't be tender enough after the brief cooking time at the end. If that's all you have on hand, steam them first, and then add them to the pan for the final step. Serve this hearty chicken and potatoes dinner with a simple side salad to sneak in another serving of veggies.
High-Protein Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
These lemon-blueberry muffins are so good, you'll think they came straight from a bakery. A sprinkle of sugar creates a nice crunch on the outside, while strained yogurt ensures the muffins stay moist on the inside. The yogurt also provides a boost of satisfying protein, making these muffins perfect for breakfast or snack time. If using frozen blueberries, there's no need to thaw them beforehand. They will add a purple hue to the batter, but it won't affect the delicious end result.
Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
This chicken pasta bake is cheesy with a smoky kick, thanks to the combination of chipotle peppers and smoked Gouda cheese. If you want to mellow the smoky flavor, regular Gouda works just as well. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray or brush it with a little oil to prevent the cheesy topping from sticking. Serve with a simple side salad or garlic-roasted broccoli.
Baked Flounder with Fresh Lemon Pepper
For this baked flounder recipe, use fresh lemon, good olive oil, freshly ground peppercorns and garlic, and you'll never look at lemon pepper the same again. Serve with steamed asparagus.
Spinach & Feta Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust
The simple, scalloped shell made from thinly sliced rounds of sweet potatoes make this version of a popular brunch (or supper) dish gluten-free. Choose potatoes with comparable diameters to create uniform slices for the easy-to-make crust. A mandoline makes slicing quick and precise, but a sharp chef's knife will work too. You can also slice the potatoes in the food processor by using the slicing blade.
Lemon-Garlic Cabbage Wedges
Cabbage wedges roast in the oven, then are slathered with a lemon- and garlic-infused butter that seeps into the crevices of each leaf. Using a hot pan helps jump-start the cooking process and deepens the flavor by caramelizing the cabbage wedges as they hit the pan.
Sautéed Mushrooms with Balsamic & Parmesan
Tender cremini mushrooms soak up the tart-sweet flavor of balsamic vinegar, while nutty Parmesan cheese adds a savory note. This easy technique works well with other mushrooms too, like oyster mushrooms or shiitakes, so feel free to mix it up. Serve this big-flavored side alongside grilled steak, or make it a main dish by serving the mushrooms topped with a poached egg and a slice of grilled bread.
Baked Oatmeal
This baked oatmeal is a mix between an oatmeal bar and traditional creamy breakfast oatmeal for an unexpected morning treat. There are so many different ways to add a little something extra to this recipe: Add fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. Add toasted coconut flakes. Add chocolate chips for chocolate lovers. You could also add extra nuts and seeds.
Garlic-Butter Cauliflower Bites
These garlic-butter cauliflower bites are inspired by the crowd-pleasing flavors of classic garlic knots. Here we ditch the bread in favor of cauliflower and use a combo of butter and extra-virgin olive oil for roasting that helps keep saturated fat in check. The combination of garlic and Parmesan cheese delivers on the classic savory flavor. Serve this easy side with roasted chicken or pork or enjoy as an appetizer with a side of marinara for dipping.
Chicken Paella
A Spanish dish from the Valencia region, paella is named for the cooking vessel itself: a round, shallow pan made of carbon steel that heats quickly and evenly. A good paella pan helps develop the socarrat, or crispy layer of rice crust on the bottom that's the most prized part of the dish. A large skillet will work as well if you don't have a paella pan. Look for short-grain Bomba or Valencia rice at specialty markets. Be aware that risotto rice like Arborio won't work here, since paella rice isn't meant to be creamy.
Creamy Sausage & Cheese Tortellini Soup
This cheese tortellini soup is a quick meal to throw together on a weeknight, and a crowd-pleaser if you have company. If you like soup with a kick, opt for hot Italian sausage. Tortellini, like any pasta, will soak up the broth as it sits, so if you're making it ahead of time, cook the tortellini separately and add it just before serving.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & Brown Rice with Roasted Corn & Black Beans
With plenty of spice from ground cumin, cayenne and paprika and the bit of char that frozen roasted sweet corn brings to the dish, you won't miss the browning step in this easy load-and-go recipe. If frozen roasted corn isn't available, substitute regular.
Chicken Fajita Casserole
This chicken fajita casserole combines classic fajita veggies and chicken thighs with corn tortillas and spices in one skillet for an easy dinner. Chicken thighs are tender and flavorful, but chicken breast or leftover chicken will work well too. Serve this easy casserole topped with your favorite fixings, like sour cream, avocado, salsa and/or chopped tomato.
Easy Sheet-Pan Eggs with Mushrooms & Spinach
Make these easy sheet-pan eggs the next time you're serving a crowd for breakfast or brunch. Mushrooms add texture and flavor, while spinach adds a pop of color. You can also make these eggs for a meal-prep-friendly breakfast.
Oatmeal Banana Bread
This oatmeal banana bread features old-fashioned oats, which provide texture. This banana bread is subtly sweet and well balanced, making it perfect for tea time, breakfast time and anything in between.
Butternut Soup with Coconut Milk
Serve this full-flavored soup as a first course or as a smooth vegetable stew over rice with a side of cooked greens. We've used full-fat coconut milk, which yields a decadent, silky soup. You can use light coconut milk, if you prefer, for a soup with less body (and only 1g saturated fat per serving).
Read the original article on Eating Well.
