Top 10 Dinner Recipes to Make This Winter

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again…and that means comfort food is on the menu. So, we’ve picked our top 10 dinner recipes to make this winter that will warm you up, keep you satisfied, and fill your kitchen with incredible smells. 

Most of these winter dishes are one-pot recipes and super hearty, and all are delicious. If you’re looking for appetizers or small plates to share, check out our top 10 tapas dishes for winter.

These top 10 cozy winter dinners make our list because they’re the most popular: either with you all, us, our friends and family, or all of the above. Browse them below, or jump to your favorite:

1. Creamy Chicken Stew
2. Catalan Beef Stew 
3. Spanish Pork Secreto 
4. Spanish Chicken and Rice 
5. Cantabrian Bean Stew 🌿 
6. Spanish Pork Stew (Carcamusas) 
7. Roast Chicken Thighs with Red Wine 
8. Fabada Asturiana 
9. White Bean Stew 🌿 
10. Spicy Chicken and Chorizo Rice

1. Creamy Chicken and Leek Stew

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Ready in: 45 minutes

This creamy chicken and leek stew is the definition of comfort food. You get rich flavors from the mustard and paprika, nourishing cream, and some leeks, garlic, and onions for a mild kick. Of course, you shouldn’t forget your greens, so we usually add some fresh spinach, but this is optional and you can also swap this for peas if you prefer.

2. Catalan Beef Stew

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 3 hours
• Ready in: 3 hours 15 minutes

Catalan Beef Stew is one of those recipes that needs time to bubble away on the stove top. When you have the time, it’s 100% worth the wait. While it’s a beef stew, it also calls for thick-cut bacon or pancetta and sausage, so it’s very rich. On top of that, and popular in Catalan cuisine, you add a little dark chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. Spanish Pork Secreto

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes
• Ready in: 50 minutes

Spanish pork secreto in a paprika sauce has deep smoky notes throughout the rich comforting sauce. While “secreto” is a specific cut in Spain, you can also use pork loin or look for any lean strip of pork with a layer of fat surrounding it. If you love Spanish and Mediterranean flavors like smoked paprika, sweet piquillo peppers, capers, and olives, this is for you.  

4. Spanish Chicken And Rice

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes
• Ready in: 55 minutes

Spanish chicken and rice with chorizo is a classic rice dish that is full flavor (and then some!), filling, and loaded with nutrients. It’s just what the winter doctor ordered. Here’s just a sample of the ingredients that make this soooo good: white beans, olives, sherry vinegar, rosemary, red pepper, and smoked paprika.

5. Cantabrian Bean Stew

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Soak time: 12 hours
• Cook time: 3 hours 15 minutes
• Ready in: 15 hours 25 minutes
• 🌿 Vegan

This Cantabrian bean stew is traditionally made with a few simple veggies, paprika, cumin, and the most sought-after bean variety of the Cantabrian region: Carico montañés. These can be tricky to source, but you can use kidney beans and still enjoy all the delicious spices and veg that complement the beans. If you use tinned beans, cook time will be 30-40 minutes, then let rest for 1 hour for the flavors to meld: ready in 1 hour 50 minutes.

6. Carcamusas (Pork Stew)

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Ready in: 40 minutes

Carcamusas (pork stew) is from Toledo in the Madrid region and is loaded with all the good pork cuts you could want! You simmer your pork chunks in a rich tomato sauce with a hint of chili until it’s deliciously tender. The result is a mouthwatering, warming meaty stew that simply oozes with flavor.

7. Roast Chicken Thighs with Red Wine

• Prep time: 2 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Ready in: 27 minutes

These roast chicken thighs with red wine, tomato, and herbs are ridiculously easy to make and you still end up with a beautiful chicken dish that will have everyone licking their lips. Best of all it’s ready in under 30 minutes, so you can even sneak it into your weeknight dinner rotation.

8. Fabada Asturiana

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 2 hours
• Ready in: 2 hours 5 minutes

Fabada Asturiana (Meaty Bean Stew) is a rich and warming Asturian dish that’s made with two cuts of pork, chorizo, blood sausages, white beans, and spices slowly simmered in one pot. The result: a very satisfying meal that is loaded with flavor.

9. White Bean Stew 

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Ready in: 40 minutes
• 🌿 Vegan

This Spanish-style white bean stew is made with large white beans that are simmered in a rich smoky paprika-infused tomato sofrito sauce. It’s delicious, healthy, and vibrant, making every mouthful seem like a warm hug.

10. Spicy Chicken and Chorizo Rice

• Prep time: 3 minutes
• Cook time: 57 minutes
• Ready in: 1 hour

Spicy chicken and chorizo rice is packed with flavor, thanks to a delicious blend of Spanish spices and the smoky chorizo. You can easily turn the heat level up or down to suit your preference. We also like to throw in a little white wine and fresh rosemary, but these are entirely optional.

Looking for Some Warming Tapas Dishes?

We also have plenty of Spanish tapas and side dishes that are perfect for cooler months. Here’s just a sample:

• Paprika-Infused Pork Bites – this is a delicious tapa of pork pieces marinated in olive oil and spices for 30 minutes, then fried in a skillet with some garlic and rosemary. 
• Gambas al Pil Pil – this is a seafood tapa of juicy prawns fried with plenty of fresh garlic and chili that demands some bread to mop up the incredible sauce. 
• Spanish Garlic Zucchini – a vegetarian tapa or side that transforms the humble zucchini into a dish to remember and make on repeat. 
• Chorizo in Red Wine – originating in the La Rioja region, this tapa recipe simmers fresh chorizo in red wine with some garlic and bay leaves until you get a syrup-like velvety sauce. 
• Patatas Panaderas (Roasted Potatoes) – for every potato lover out there, this side dish (sometimes a main in our house) is a must try! Slow-roasted scalloped potatoes with sherry vinegar, onion, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil: the combo is sensational. 
• Poor Man’s Potatoes – another potato side, but this one has more veg variety and is seasoned simply with some salt and pepper, sweet paprika, rosemary, and lemon.