31 Warm and Cozy Dinner Recipes to Make Each Night in December

The key to this fall stunner's flavor is roasting all the veggies before pureeing them. (Might we suggest using an immersion blender for minimal mess?)

The ultimate trifecta: healthy, tasty and beautiful. We use paper-thin slices of sweet potato to create the crust instead of pie dough, so your wheat-sensitive roomies can dig in to their hearts' content.

We have *big* plans for that leftover can of pumpkin puree in your pantry. Combined with heavy cream and pasta water, it creates an unbelievably rich sauce.

This dish just might turn you into a vegetarian. The key to crisp tofu is pressing as much liquid out of it as possible before it hits the pan.

Can you believe it'll take you less than an hour to make? You have our clever shortcuts to thank for that. Eat your heart out, Julia Child.

Ready in just 35 minutes—call it a Christmas miracle. Feel free to swap broccolini out for broccoli, asparagus or even Brussels sprouts. Serve the meatballs with pasta, salad or rice.

C'mon, a built-in grilled cheese sammy for a lid? That's pretty ingenious, if we do say so ourselves. Consider your picky kids satisfied (for once).

Crisp, juicy chicken thighs. Charred, tender sprouts. A zingy, sweet glaze that's bound to impress. What's not to like? (The answer is nothing, but our favorite thing about this meal is that it'll leave you with minimal dirty dishes.)

’Tis the season for pasta doused in nutty brown butter sauce, aka liquid gold. Even better, this soul-soother only takes 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

Come winter, consider the pressure cooker your best friend. (It's the only way you can pull off from-scratch bean stew in just over an hour.) Bookmark this protein-packed dish for blustery days to come.

Twenty-minute vegetarian tacos, coming right up. These six-ingredient stunners prove that halloumi cheese is, in fact, the new burrata. Spread the word.

Takeout wishes it could taste this good. Not only is the sweet-and-spicy chicken easy to prepare, but it's also pan fried instead of deep fried for minimal mess.

We feel warm and fuzzy just looking at this cozy masterpiece. Think juicy chicken thigh meat, doughy buttermilk biscuits, soup veggies and fresh thyme.

The recipe calls for traditional guanciale (that's Italian salt-cured pork jowl), but feel free to use pancetta or bacon in a pinch. We’ll take an extra sprinkle of Parm on ours, please.

Who knew five minutes of prep and the push of a button could take you to Tuscany? The Crockpot basically does all the work for you, so you have more time to wrap presents, bake cookies or take a much deserved nap.

You know that endless stirring thing? You won’t need to do that here. Instead, the risotto bakes to decadent perfection in the oven. We'll bring the wine.

Further proof that a cast iron skillet is an absolute must-have in any kitchen. We're partial to crumbled Italian sausage, but ground beef or turkey will work here, too.

Save the leftovers for lunch and boom: You're the envy of the break room. Make double of the turmeric-tahini dressing—you won't want to go back to your usual vinaigrette.

Shredded rotisserie chicken is the world's smartest shortcut, and it's the reason this protein-packed soup can be on the table in 35 minutes flat.

Tons of flavor, minimal carbs. Chalk it up to using riced cauliflower in the grits instead of standard corn, along with keto-friendly add-ins like goat cheese, butter and whole milk.

Delicata season isn't over 'til we say it is. Don't bother peeling the squash—its striped skin is totally edible and easy on the eyes.

It's inspired by the Japanese dish ochazuke, which is made by pouring hot green tea over rice. Top your bowl with broiled salmon or arctic char, plus a few dashes of sesame oil.

Let’s take the traditional route this year, only with a fun citrus twist. Despite its fancy appearance, this main only calls for eight ingredients (and that's including the ham itself).

They’ll think you cooked all day. (Spoiler: You didn’t.) Leave it to the Barefoot Contessa to craft a Christmas main that feeds ten guests and requires only 15 minutes of prep.

Comfort food at its finest, folks. We suggest going the extra mile by rolling the phyllo dough topper into pretty rosettes, but you can save time by simply laying it atop the mac instead.

Bring on the anti-inflammatory properties and vegan deliciousness. This thick, fragrant lentil stew is packed with spices like ginger, curry powder, fenugreek and turmeric.

Our go-to skillet meal is only 30 minutes away. It'll come together even faster if you use leftover gnocchi. (Tortellini would work as well, if you'd prefer.)

All the crunch of traditional chicken cutlets, minus the spitting pot of oil. That's the magic of using crushed kettle-cooked potato chips as breading.

File this one under "How to Make Dinner Out of Pantry Staples." Go wild with the Pecorino Romano on top—it rounds out the intensity of the citrus and spices just right.

Let's ring in 2023 in style, shall we? Your New Year's Eve guests will absolutely gush over these classy chops. Be sure to use a grill pan for drool-worthy char marks.