Our Favorite Winter Recipes

Winter Recipes - The Cranberry Claus Cocktail
Photo: Johnny Miller

Our Favorite Winter Recipes

01 of 17

Tuscan Black Kale Salad

Picnic LA Kale Lead
Courtesy PICNIC LA

It's time to indulge in one more kale salad—specifically, the Tuscan Black Kale Salad from Picnic LA, the popular farm-to-table style eatery in downtown Culver City, Calif. The fast-casual restaurant is helmed by executive chef Alex Resnick, who works closely with vendors to source the highest quality produce at the peak of their seasonality. "This kale salad uses the most seasonal produce to make a bright and fulfilling lunch or light dinner," says Resnick. "Pomegranate molasses has a wonderful sweet and salty flavor, and kumquats are best around this time of year; they add an amazing tartness to the salad, while ricotta salata adds some creaminess." Get the recipe here.

02 of 17

Root Vegetable Soup

Root Vegetable Soup
Brian Wetzstein

We're taking advantage of the waning chilly weather by enjoying our last couple of batches of cozy, hearty soups—like the Winter Root Vegetable Soup from Souping ($13; amazon.com), a cookbook written by wellness expert Alison Velázquez. This recipe combines butternut squash, sweet potato, parsnip, and celeriac for a smooth, creamy blend. Get the recipe here.

03 of 17

Broccolini Ricotta Toasts

Broccolini Ricotta Toasts with Preserved Lemon
Johnny Miller

These artfully assembled appetizers are the brainchild of author Leela Cyd, whose upcoming cookbook,Food with Friends, focuses on effortless, crowd-pleasing dishes, and call for ricotta, baked broccolini, and—for an unexpected twist—preserved lemon. "If you make something super-yummy, they'll come over in droves," she tells InStyle. Get the recipe here.

04 of 17

Cookie Shots

Cookie Shots
Thomas Schauer

Pastry chef with a cult following Dominique Ansel recently served up rounds of his famous chocolate chip cookie shots at the Cookies for Kids' Cancer 3rd Annual Chefs for Kids' Cancer Gala in N.Y.C. Try making Ansel's cookie shots with vanilla-infused milk, and raise your "glass" to a good cause. Get the full recipe here.

05 of 17

Spicy Margarita

Spicy Margarita
Courtesy Masa y Agave

Certified mezcalier Courtenay Greenleaf, who oversees beverage menu at N.Y.C.-based Mexican restaurant Rosa Mexicano and its newly-opened subterranean cocktail bar Masa y Agave, shared her new cucumber basil margarita recipe. Get the full recipe here.

06 of 17

Inverted Grilled Cheese

Inverted Grilled Cheese
Alexandra Romanoff / @OneMoreDish

This grilled cheese from popular N.Y.C.-based restaurant and bakery Sadelle's is totally unique when it comes to the popular sandwich. The major thing that sets it apart is that the traditional bread is replaced with an inverted everything bagel. Get the full recipe here.

07 of 17

Ricotta Cheesecake

Ricotta Cheesecake
Shachar Langlev

This decadent dessert created by Alon Langleib, the pastry chef of celebrated N.Y.C.-based Italian eatery Sessanta, uses ricotta from organic farmstead cheese company Marcelli Formaggi. "The result of a cheesecake made with ricotta is a heartier texture due to its signature 'graininess,'" says Christina Marcelli, a partner of Marcelli Formaggi. "You want a cheesecake that can stand up (literally) to its dessert counterparts and hold its shape until the last bite." Get the full recipe here.

08 of 17

Lemon Tart

Lemon Tart
Courtesy of Maman

In honor of the Fall 2016 runway shows, Paris-based designer agnès b. released her family's lemon tart recipe, which is on the menu through the end of February at N.Y.C.'s charming Maman bakery and restaurant. "My mother was great at making what we called the 'Bonne Douce,' a nickname taken from a Romain Gary book," explains the designer. Get the full recipe here.

09 of 17

Brioche Donuts

Brioche Donuts
Courtesy of The Church Key

The popular L.A.-based restaurant The Church Key is serving their famous Brioche Donuts at the Sundance Film Festival. The decadent treat is topped with a brown butter glaze and has a perfect pocket of caramel. Get the recipe here.

10 of 17

Four-Cheese Macaroni with Bacon

Winter Recipes - 4 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon from Stephanie Izard
Marcus Nilsson

This decadent take on a childhood favorite from Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard includes smoked Gouda, Havarti, aged cheddar, and… apple slices?! An exquisite winter dish you must try for yourself. Get the recipe here.

11 of 17

Red Grape Flatbread

Winter Recipes - Red Grape Flatbread
Johnny Miller

"All my recipes are deceptively simple," Chef Geoffrey Zakarian promises, "but they're refined too." We love his party-perfect red grape flatbread topped with garlic, rosemary, and freshly cracked black pepper. Get the recipe here.

12 of 17

Chocolate Bouchons

Winter Recipes - Chocolate Bouchons
Marcus Nilsson

Top Chef winner and Chicago based chef Stephanie Izard dug through her finger-licking repertoire to share with us a dessert that serves our sweet tooth and feeds our francophile tendencies (the word "bouchon" translates directly to "cork," a reference to their adorable, palm-sized barrel shape). Get the recipe here.

13 of 17

The Before & After Cocktail

Winter Recipes - the Before & After Cocktail
Marcus Nilsson

Meet the Before & After Cocktail: your new go-to winter drink. The yummy cocktail's creator, Girl & the Goat house mixologist Ben Schiller, likes to serve it as an aperitif or a digestif, hence the moniker.Get the recipe here.

14 of 17

Never-Ending Chicago Winter Beef Stew

Winter Recipes - Never-Ending Chicago Winter Beef Stew
Marcus Nilsson

This insanely delicious one-pot meal infuses beef with layers of exciting flavors: salty fish sauce, tart vinegar, and sweet fruits (including pineapple, which also helps tenderize the meat). The cozy recipe comes from Top Chef winner Chef Stephanie Izard. Get the recipe here.

15 of 17

Mini Rice Puddings

Winter Recipes - Mini Rice Puddings
Johnny Miller

Looking for a lite-bite dessert? Marc Vetri, the Philadelphia chef behind Vetri and Alla Spina, brings his rustic Italian sensibility to a cozy rice pudding recipe that's even more fun (and lower-cal!) to eat in these mini portions. Get the recipe here.

16 of 17

Tomato and Apple Soup with Grilled Cheese

Winter Recipes - Tomato and Apple Soup with Grilled Cheese
Marcus Nilsson

Cozy up with this comfort for staple from Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard. Cider and apples subtly sweeten the winter standard and rev up the tomato flavor. "The additions don't make it harder to prepare," says Izard. "But they do make it taste so much more intriguing." Get the recipe here.

17 of 17

The Cranberry Claus Cocktail

Winter Recipes - The Cranberry Claus Cocktail
Johnny Miller

Andrew Noye, mixologist at the award-winning Blackberry Farm resort in Tennessee, created this sweet-tart cocktail that you'll want to sip all winter long. Get the recipe here.

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