In the cooler months, there’s nothing like a cosy, home-cooked meal to nourish your body and soul. With the 30 recipes in this selection, there’s sure to be something for every occasion, from a quick and simple Nourishing Lentil Soup, ideal for midweek or batch cooking, to those that are totally worth the extra effort, like our Pesto Lasagne or Courgette & Potato Gratin.
There are few things more comforting than a steaming bowl of soup, stew or curry on a cold night. We’ve collated a few of our favourites here that we guarantee will help cultivate the cosiness you crave. The best part is they’re all so simple to make - even those that look impressive, like our Tofu Katsu Curry which we’re sure you’ll be making on repeat after you’ve tried it. Soup is always a go-to in autumn and winter: add some variation with bread, crackers or croutons, and it’s a great idea to make a big batch to guarantee nourishing and hearty lunches throughout the week.
Made in 15 minutes, this comforting bowl of goodness is a simple soup with maximum flavour. The recipe combines mushrooms, a rich miso soup, zingy lime and thick slurpy noodles, making a tasty midweek lunch or supper.
View Recipe
Loaded with ginger, spring onions, lime and soy, this flavour-filled soup will warm up chilly lunchtimes. Make up a batch on Monday and enjoy it for the rest of the week.
View Recipe
Nourishing, hearty and satisfying, plus a doddle to prepare — this one-pan wonder has a lot going for it. Although it takes an hour to cook, it takes minimal effort to prepare. The coriander cashew pesto is optional but highly recommended as it adds richness, creaminess and a hint of spice, elevating this curry to the next level.
View Recipe
This hearty chickpea, tofu & harissa stew, full of protein and fibre, is guaranteed to leave you feeling satisfied. It goes well with a variety of side dishes – throughout week 3 of our healthy plant-based January meal plan we serve it with roasted sweet potatoes, rice noodles, and brown rice.
View Recipe
This is a brilliant recipe for batch cooking. Red lentils are simmered with sautéed red onion, lots of spices, fresh ginger, garlic and coconut milk. Add to that cinnamon and cumin-roasted butternut squash, finish with a sprinkling of roasted almonds, coconut chips, fresh herbs, chilli and yoghurt — and you have the ultimate winter warmer.
View Recipe
Simple tomato soup is the stuff of childhood memories. Make your own with this comforting recipe that packs in the vegetables with onions, carrots and sweet cherry tomatoes. Great for lunch or a simple dinner, why not batch cook and freeze for a quick meal whenever you please?
View Recipe
This Japanese-inspired tofu Katsu curry features golden, crispy tofu and a rich curry sauce. Your new curry night favourite, serve this flavour-packed dish with rice and pickled cucumber.
View Recipe
Feeling the chill? You will love this warming autumnal soup. The butter beans add plant protein and create a comforting creamy texture; if you prefer, feel free to swap the pumpkin for sweet potatoes or butternut squash. Any leftovers freeze well, so consider cooking up a batch and enjoying it for a speedy mid-week lunch or dinner.
View Recipe
Fancy a flavoursome hearty lunch? This creamy spiced curry with mangetout and peas delivers just that. It freezes well, so can easily be prepared in advance and defrosted for lunch or dinner. Serve with a naan for obligatory dunking.
View RecipeFor many of us, pasta tops the list of ultimate comfort foods, which is why we’ve included plenty of pasta recipes in our round-up of cosy dinners. Pasta has so many variations, from lasagne to orzo and a simple pasta with a delicious sauce, meaning you can absolutely pack a couple of these recipes into your week without your dinners feeling repetitive. If you need something super quick, we recommend our creamy broccoli pasta, which uses less than 10 ingredients and is ready in 15 minutes. For something that feels a little more special, our pesto lasagne is such a favourite - what’s not to love about layers of pasta, fresh homemade pesto, creamy bechamel and a crispy golden topping?
We love this plant-based pesto lasagne because it combines simple, fresh ingredients to create a masterpiece of flavour, packed full of veggies. The smooth and creamy white sauce sits perfectly on top of the thick green pesto, layered between sheets of lasagne - it’s all about the layers in this dish! We top it with nutritional yeast which gives it that crisp golden top when it’s baked to perfection, and love to serve it alongside some extra steamed greens.
View Recipe
This ragu is hearty, warming, and rich. It’s a dream dinner and the leftovers work brilliantly too; you can double the recipe and add the ragu to jacket potatoes later in the week or serve it with some quinoa for an on-the-go lunch option.
View Recipe
This silky, smooth cashew-based sauce with rigatoni and fresh vegetables makes for a simple, comforting midweek supper. It has less than 10 ingredients, takes just 15 minutes and the leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
View Recipe
Showcase some of summer’s finest produce with this simple one-pan dinner. Full of flavourful, vibrant ingredients, this is family-friendly food at its best.
View Recipe
Packed with protein, this simple recipe comes together in 30 minutes, making it a great midweek supper. The crispy spiced kale and chickpeas add texture, while the harissa gives a subtle — but delicious — kick to each bite.
View Recipe
This twist on the traditional family favourite is a celebration of different textures and flavours, thanks to the chickpeas, mushrooms, miso and almond butter. It’s not lasagne as we know it, but we do know that you will love it.
View Recipe
Tomato pasta meets mac and cheese? Yes please. Sun-dried tomatoes are simmered with oregano, balsamic and garlic, then tossed through pasta, topped with vegan white sauce and finished with a lovely layer of crispy breadcrumbs — a winning combination. This easy weeknight supper is the ultimate comfort food.
View Recipe
This hearty pasta dish is perfect for a cold winter evening. Using cashews makes the sauce smooth, creamy, and rich in protein.
View Recipe
It’s hard to resist a creamy pasta that's ready in just 15 minutes. This green beauty also boasts over 40% of your recommended daily iron intake and over 50% of your vitamin C (which helps to improve the amount of iron that the body absorbs).
View Recipe
Serve up this comforting baked gnocchi with spinach, peas and a crunchy breadcrumb topping for a tasty midweek meal when you’re short on time.
View Recipe
Make this indulgent pasta using a handful of store cupboard ingredients — it’s so good, it’s sure to become a midweek staple.
View Recipe
This hearty, nourishing bake is crammed full of juicy vegetables, layered with pasta and our incredible ‘I can’t believe it’s not cheese’ cashew and tofu ricotta. Any leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
View RecipeWe truly believe that there’s something therapeutic about cooking: seeing a beautiful meal come together from a handful of fresh ingredients can be soothing and rewarding. With this selection of recipes, don’t feel the need to rush getting food on the table - these recipes are meant to take a little longer, so savour the process of cooking in the same way you’re bound to savour eating them! All of these recipes are wonderful crowd-pleasers that are great for sharing, making them ideal for dinner parties with friends or a cosy family Sunday lunch.
We've had so many requests for the curry recipe that we cooked on the Netflix series, Down To Earth with Zac Efron, so here it is. This dish is a delicious mix of different flavours and textures — it’s always a hit and is a great way to introduce people to plant-based meals.
View Recipe
Gooey, peanutty and packed with ginger, soy and lime, this easy traybake is the dream midweek meal. It comes together in minutes, all you need to do is pile the ingredients onto the tray and let the lentils and aubergines absorb all the flavours as they slowly bake. Serve with crispy, crunchy toasted peanuts, spring onion and chilli.
View Recipe
In this 'Mexican lasagne', layers of our rich and spicy black bean stew are layered with a creamy green béchamel sauce and corn tortillas. Easily made ahead, this satisfying and comforting bake is the perfect weeknight dinner. Corn tortillas work better in this recipe than flour tortillas, which do not stand up to baking as well and can result in a slimy texture. If you have difficulty finding them in your local supermarket they are widely available online.
View Recipe
This plant-based version of the Italian classic combines a rich tomato sauce, melt-in-the-mouth aubergines and a creamy sauce. Serve straight from the oven for a comforting family-friendly meal.
View Recipe
An original recipe from our first café, this is a long-term favourite. This chilli is hearty, and we love the texture combination of the beans in the chilli and the crispy crust of the golden corn bread. It's a great for batch cooking, and the corn bread makes 10 servings.
View Recipe
Layers of thinly sliced potato and courgette, topped with a creamy white cashew sauce, with mustard, garlic and nutritional yeast; baked until golden and crispy on top — just what you need on a cold evening.
View Recipe
This crowd pleaser is a keeper — when we made this in the DE office it was promptly devoured by everyone, with many coming back for seconds. Inspired by the Greek dish, moussaka, a rich and satisfying ragu is made with lentils and chopped walnuts. It’s then layered with baked potato rounds, melting aubergine and topped with a creamy, indulgent béchamel sauce and a sprinkle of mint and parsley.
View Recipe
Is there anything more comforting on a cold winter day than a cosy stew to warm you from the inside out? Beetroot is slowly braised in a rich red wine broth with caramelised mushrooms and lentils. Serve with our creamy skin-on mashed potatoes. Any leftovers can kept in the fridge for up to 3 days; or frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to fully defrost before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
View Recipe
Make the most of mushroom season with this comforting creamy mushroom stroganoff — the ideal indulgent meal for cosy winter evenings.
View RecipeNo matter what you decide to cook, any mealtime can feel cosy depending on how you look at it. This week, make the time to sit at the table with your housemates, partner, family, or friends to enjoy a meal, rather than rushing around or eating in front of the TV. How we eat is just as important as what we eat, and there’s nothing better than sharing food together. This collection of recipes would be a great place to start to enhance a cosy, comforting atmosphere.
