The delicious. team’s 10 favourite feelgood winter recipes
When the cold, dark reality of winter begins to bite, food that can deliver the feelgood factor is the order of the day. Enter: the delicious. team’s hit list of happiness-inducing recipes. Fulfil your appetite for something nourishing and nutritious with our top soup and pasta bake picks; spend a soul-soothing afternoon tending to a babka baking project or slow-cooked lamb curry; or satisfy sweet cravings with an easy loaf cake to slice and share. Hand-picked by the delicious. team, these favourite feelgood recipes are the antidote to the winter kitchen blues.
Harissa-spiced meatballs with houmous and pomegranate seeds, chosen by projects editor Louisa Davies
“Whenever I feel stuck in a pasta or soup rut in the winter months, this colourful couscous bowl is a great way to break free. It’s easy, it’s speedy, it’s high in protein and, most importantly, it’s really delicious. I sneak extra harissa into the mix as I like the heat and, if I have time, I make a silky, lemony houmous from scratch instead of using shop-bought. If you’re hosting, you can scale this up and serve as an impressive meatball platter – it’s so versatile!”
Creamy mushroom, sprout and chestnut pasta bake, chosen by editorial assistant Mia Rodriguez
“This recipe is super-comforting and can be adapted depending on what’s in season (and in your cupboards). The sprouts can be swapped with kale or broccoli and bacon or sausage meat snuck in for a meatier treat.”
Banana and chocolate bread, chosen by marketing manager Jane Geoghegan
“You can’t help but feel good when you eat a piece of this delicious banana bread, which is great for using up overripe bananas, and the addition of chocolate makes it extra indulgent. It’s a recipe I return to again and again.”
Squash and apple soup with cheddar croutons, chosen by editor Karen Barnes
“I nearly always have a butternut squash in the veg basket, apples in the fruit bowl and cheddar in the fridge, so this is a nourishing dishful I can rustle up without having to go shopping, whenever I feel in need of a warming soup. The cheddar croutons are what make it, though… You can’t go wrong with crispy-melty cheese and bread.”
"You can’t go wrong with crispy-melty cheese and bread"
Chocolate babka, chosen by head of food Tom Shingler
“I love making babka – it’s a very therapeutic dough to work with and I’ve been using this recipe for years as it’s never failed me. It’s perfect for experimentation too; stick with the base dough recipe but switch up the filling for whatever you like.”
Tartiflette, chosen by publishing director Adrienne Moyce
This French Alpine classic is a cold weather favourite for a reason: who doesn’t fancy creamy layers of potato, enriched with cheese, salty nuggets of bacon and a splash of white wine when the mercury drops?
Kashmiri lamb shank rogan josh, chosen by deputy digital editor Thea Everett
“This lamb shank curry from chef Vivek Singh tastes even better if you make it the day before, which adds to the feelgood factor (as you’ll have forgotten the hard work you put into it). All that’s left to do is to reap the rewards of the tender, falling-off-the-bone lamb in spicy gravy, rich with smokiness from black cardamom and pepper. The lemon rice requires only a little more effort than steamed basmati but makes the whole thing instantly cheering, with its bright flavour and gorgeous colour.”
"Making this lamb shank curry the day before adds to the feelgood factor"
Chickpea and cavolo nero soup, chosen by lead art director Joss Bowerman
“I always come back to this soup – it’s so easy and packed with flavour. It’s full of nourishing ingredients (plus a little pancetta – but that’s why it tastes so good!).”
Turkish lentils with chicken and carrots, chosen by head of digital Vic Grimshaw
“This is my savoury go-to. It feels good to use up the leftovers (including making the stock), it’s easier than making a pie, and with the lentils, kale and spices, it’s a nutritious and flavour-packed option too. Also: this squidgy ginger loaf wouldn’t win a beauty contest, but its spiced flavour and ability to morph into an even better cake two days after baking makes it a feelgood treat. Low on effort, big on return. Bake it on Friday evening, enjoy through the weekend.”
Tahini, brown butter and sea salt blondies, chosen by deputy digital editor Phoebe Stone
“These next-level blondies tick so many satisfying boxes: milk chocolate chunks fulfil sweet cravings, tahini adds nutty depth, the sprinkle of sea salt flakes hits the savoury spot and the texture is gorgeously sink-your-teeth-in fudgy. Feelgood indeed.”
Discover more comforting cold weather inspiration with our best-ever double carb recipes and seasonal winter ideas.