What to Cook in January
Any list of the best January recipes needs to showcase the warming dishes we crave in colder weather: vegan stews and bright pozole, spiced and simmered lentils and beans, and cozy skillet suppers. After all the elaborate cooking and baking of the holidays, it’s also the perfect time to lean on time- and effort-saving appliances like air fryers and pressure cookers to make weeknight cooking—and even weekend entertaining—simple.
Scroll down to check out our most popular January recipes, plus a few editor picks for the month ahead.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele3/37Quick Chana Masala
Making this chana masala is one of our favorite ways to use a can of chickpeas. In fact, by boiling the chickpeas in their liquid, you're able to mimic the texture achieved by soaking dried beans overnight.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich4/37Pulled Mushroom Tacos With Salsa Guille
Going meatless for the month doesn’t mean skipping tacos. This recipe is one of our favorites out of lots of vegetarian taco options. Top crispy, meaty oyster mushrooms with a peanut-pepper salsa, creamy avocado, and crunchy radish, then devour.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne5/37One-Pot Chicken and Biscuits
This is comfort cooking at its best, formulated for minimum fuss. When you’re done, check out our advice for how to clean your cast iron skillet so that you can keep using it for years to come.
Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell6/37Pozole Verde Con Hongos
The best January soup recipes give you hearty, warming, and flavorful meals. This vegetarian pozole verde relies on mushrooms and hominy for the base—but the fun really comes in when you start garnishing.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich8/37Lemon Curd
Tart and sweet, this citrus curd will enliven your weekend scones, and make every bowl of yogurt one to remember. Once you’ve tried this version, go ahead and experiment with other fruit curds as well.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich9/37Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Serve these saucy florets with blue cheese dressing and celery on game night. For the rest of the week, keep it simple with this sauceless version.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton10/37Vegan Chili
Canned kidney beans and black beans make for speedy, stress-free cooking, while bulgur fills out the texture of this meatless chili.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova11/37Turkey Meatloaf
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova12/37Patates Riganates (Greek Lemon Potatoes With Garlic and Oregano)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton13/37Sri Lankan Cashew Curry
This Sri Lankan curry—which happens to be vegan—calls for coconut milk and cashews, resulting in a phenomenally creamy, cozy dish. Add a squeeze of lime and serve with rice.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens14/37Caramelized Onion Pasta
Pasta water and Parmesan strike again in this creamy, caramelized, uncomplicated pasta. Lean into your kitchen staples (butter, olive oil, onions, and garlic) for easy weeknight pleasure.
