Warming recipes for cold nights in Sydney

May is one of our favourite months of the year here in Sydney. The days are still bright, sunny, and warm but the nights have started to get colder. Fires need to be lit, heaters turned on, and summer wardrobes are put to rest to make way for autumn/winter fashion.

Then, there’s the matter of what you eat. Gone are evening salads and a cold, crisp Chardonnay. Cold nights call for hearty recipes and a nice full-bodied glass of red. So, we thought we’d search for some cooking inspiration and the results were so tantalisingly good, we had to share them.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of our favourite winter dishes from creamy lentil soups to good old-fashioned beef stew and dumplings –there’s sure to be something which will tickle your taste buds. And if you find some more, please return the flavour and send them in.

Creamy pumpkin and lentil soup – BBC Good Food

All you need to make this deliciously simple soup is olive oil, onions, pumpkin, split red lentils, vegetable stock, crème fraiche, and a bit of salt and pepper. Simply delicious.

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Lighter beef stew and dumplings – BBC Good Food

A staple meal from generations past, this comforting casserole is full of protein and fibre, and perfect for warm nights in front of the fire.

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Spiced chicken, spinach and sweet potato stew – BBC Good Food

A healthy one-pot wonder that’s packed with nutrients and tastes ah-mazing.

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Rigatoni Amatriciana – delicious.

We don’t know about you but some nights just call for a big, hot, steamy bowl of pasta, and this dish never disappoints.

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French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich – feasting at home

Every mouthful of this is pure decadence, with caramelized onions and melted Gruyere put together with fresh toasty bread. It’s the ultimate vegetarian comfort food.

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Miso broth with tofu and mushrooms – Gourmet Traveller

Delicious and healthy, you can’t go past this Japanese soup, which is easy to whip up once you have all the ingredients.

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Orecchiette pasta with broccoli sauce – feasting at home

The great thing about this Tuscan dish is that not only is it really simple to make, it’s also really scrumptious to eat and incredibly healthy.

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Butternut lasagne with mushrooms and sage – feasting at home

When you just need a bit of comfort food, this is the dish for you. You can make the vegetarian or vegan option, whichever you prefer,  but one thing’s for sure – the taste is sensational.

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Pumpkin and vermouth risotto with parmesan and mascarpone – Gourmet Traveller

The sweetness of the pumpkin is balanced by the aromatics of the vermouth, this is a one-pan crowd pleaser for nights spent with friends – now you can finally have them around.

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Jamie Oliver’s Fish Pie – delicious.

With just 5 ingredients and a preparation time of under 30 mins, this is a great dish for the evenings when you need to eat quickly but don’t want to skimp on flavour.

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