Winter: Recipes in Season

Red berries in winter
Image by m01229

When the cold winter wind blows through the trees and the ground freezes hard as a rock, nothing warms a body faster than hearty comfort food. Soups and stews are favorites during the snowy time of year, as are braised dishes and roasted meats and vegetables. And holiday feasting has its own place among mid-winter dining pleasures.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking there is no good, fresh produce available during the winter months. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and greens are at their peak of sweet flavor. Root vegetables and avocadoes come into their own as well. A wide variety of citrus fruit adds a bright note to an otherwise bleak landscape of fruits. And shellfish are abundant.

Here is a list of items that are abundant, fresh and seasonal for winter.

December Ingredients

Vegetables

Beets | Cabbage | Cauliflower | Celery | Celery Root | Collard Greens | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Turnips | Winter Squash

Fruits

Apples | Coconuts | Dates | Grapefruit | Grapes | Persimmons | Pomegranates | Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (U.S. West Coast) | Dungeness Crab | Oysters

January Ingredients

Vegetables

Avocados | Beets | Broccoli | Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage | Cauliflower | Celery | Celery Root | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Greens | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Turnips

Fruits

Apples | Dates | Grapefruit | Kiwi | Lemons | Limes | Oranges | Papayas | Pears | Pommelos | Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (West Coast) | Oysters | Tuna, Bigeye

February Ingredients

Vegetables

Avocados | Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage | Celery | Celery Root | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Greens | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Salsify | Turnips

Fruits

Apples | Dates | Grapefruit | Kiwi | Lemons | Limes | Oranges | Papayas | Pommelos | Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (West Coast) | Oysters | Tuna, Bigeye

International Recipes for Winter

Try these warming wintertime dishes.

Chicken Pot Pie 
(American savory chicken stew in pastry)
Skillet of chicken pot pie with biscuit crust

Chicken Pot Pie 
(American savory chicken stew in pastry)

Sopa de Ajo 
(Spanish garlic and bread soup)
Bowl of sopa de ajo on a table with sunglasses and napkin

Sopa de Ajo 
(Spanish garlic and bread soup)

Bográcsgulyás 
(Hungarian beef and pepper stew)
Pot of bogracs gulyas over a campfire

Bográcsgulyás 
(Hungarian beef and pepper stew)

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)
Puerto Rican pasteles, wrapped and unwrapped

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)
Rumtopf (German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)
Torta di mele Italian apple tart

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)

Poule au Pot 
(French chicken in a pot)
Poule au Pot (French chicken in a pot)

Poule au Pot 
(French chicken in a pot)

Apple Fritters 
(Jewish batter-fried apple rings)
Deep-fried apple fritters

Apple Fritters 
(Jewish batter-fried apple rings)

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)
Plate of oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)

Soon Dubu Jjigae 
(Korean spicy tofu stew)
Bowl of soon dubu jjigae with poaching egg

Soon Dubu Jjigae 
(Korean spicy tofu stew)

Tire sur la Neige 
(Canadian maple syrup taffy)
Canadian maple syrup taffy wrapping up on snow

Tire sur la Neige 
(Canadian maple syrup taffy)

Gratin Dauphinois 
(French potatoes baked with cream)
Baking dish of partially served gratin dauphinois

Gratin Dauphinois 
(French potatoes baked with cream)

Hong Shao Rou 
(Chinese red-cooked pork)
Red-cooked pork with a scoop of rice

Hong Shao Rou 
(Chinese red-cooked pork)

Brussels Sprouts Gratin 
(English roasted Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce)
Fresh Brussels sprouts on a countertop

Brussels Sprouts Gratin 
(English roasted Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce)

Minestra de Ceci 
(Italian chickpea and pasta soup)
Bowl of minestra di ceci

Minestra de Ceci 
(Italian chickpea and pasta soup)

Dušené Zelí 
(Czech braised cabbage)
Seasoned, braised cabbage

Dušené Zelí 
(Czech braised cabbage)

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)
Slices and full loaf of Dresdner stollen

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

Blaukraut 
(German braised red cabbage)
Blaukraut on a plate with sausages

Blaukraut 
(German braised red cabbage)

Candied Sweet Potatoes 
(American sugar-baked sweet potatoes)
Casserole dish of candied sweet potatoes

Candied Sweet Potatoes 
(American sugar-baked sweet potatoes)

Latkes 
(Israeli Jewish potato pancakes)
Latkes cooling on the counter

Latkes 
(Israeli Jewish potato pancakes)

Sancocho 
(Latin root vegetable stew)
Bowl of sancocho root vegetables stew

Sancocho 
(Latin root vegetable stew)

Crêpes Suzette 
(French thin pancakes with orange sauce)
Plate of crepes Suzette with sauce and orange segments

Crêpes Suzette 
(French thin pancakes with orange sauce)

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)
Two ghapama pumpkins on a table

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)
Dried hibiscus flowers

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)

Ärtsoppa 
(Swedish yellow pea soup)
Artsoppa (Swedish yellow split pea soup)

Ärtsoppa 
(Swedish yellow pea soup)

Limoncello 
(Italian lemon-flavored liqueur)
Glasses of ice cold limoncello

Limoncello 
(Italian lemon-flavored liqueur)

Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup 
(American Midwestern hearty cheese soup)
Bowl of beer cheese soup

Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup 
(American Midwestern hearty cheese soup)

Gigantes Plaki sto Fourno 
(Greek baked white beans in tomato sauce)
Small plate of gigantes plaki

Gigantes Plaki sto Fourno 
(Greek baked white beans in tomato sauce)

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)
Fresh lefse on a plate

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

Galbi Jjim 
(Korean braised beef short ribs)
Dish with galbi jjim

Galbi Jjim 
(Korean braised beef short ribs)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)
Eggnog Recipe (American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Bigos 
(Polish hunter’s stew of meat, cabbage and sauerkraut)
Bigos stew in a dish

Bigos 
(Polish hunter’s stew of meat, cabbage and sauerkraut)

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jewish filled donuts)
Sufganiyot jelly-filled donuts

Sufganiyot 
(Israeli Jewish filled donuts)

Chili con Carne 
(American Tex-Mex spicy beef stew)
Large pot of chili simmering on outdoor stove

Chili con Carne 
(American Tex-Mex spicy beef stew)

Scotch Broth 
(Scottish lamb, barley and root vegetable stew)
A bowl of Scotch broth with oatcakes

Scotch Broth 
(Scottish lamb, barley and root vegetable stew)

Canard à l’Orange 
(French roast duck with orange sauce)
Sliced duck a l'orange on a plate with orange segments

Canard à l’Orange 
(French roast duck with orange sauce)

Semmelknödel 
(German bread dumplings)
Semmelknödel German bread dumplings on a platter

Semmelknödel 
(German bread dumplings)

Brasato al Chianti 
(Italian beef braised in red wine)
Slices of beef brasato al Chianti on a plate with polenta

Brasato al Chianti 
(Italian beef braised in red wine)

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)
Plate of Chinese steamed radish cake

Law Bok Gow 
(Chinese steamed radish cake)

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)
Glass bowl with cranberry sauce

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)

Mulled Wine 
(English spiced wine)
Simmering mulled wine with spices and fruit

Mulled Wine 
(English spiced wine)

Shuan Yang Rou 
(Chinese Mongolian hotpot)
Mongolian hot pot table set up of ingredients

Shuan Yang Rou 
(Chinese Mongolian hotpot)

Paprikás Csirke 
(Hungarian chicken paprikash)
Paprikas csirke Hungarian paprika chicken

Paprikás Csirke 
(Hungarian chicken paprikash)

Schweinebraten 
(German roast pork)
Slices of schweinebraten roast pork

Schweinebraten 
(German roast pork)

Daube de Boeuf Provençale 
(French Provencal beef braised in red wine)
A large dish of daube de boeuf provancale.

Daube de Boeuf Provençale 
(French Provencal beef braised in red wine)

1 2 3

Whats4eats is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.