When the temperatures drop, hearty home-made meals become a must. Winter is the season for rich stews, comforting bakes and slow-cooked favourites packed with flavour. Winter food brings warmth, comfort and plenty of nostalgia to the table.

These six hearty winter recipes you need to try are perfect for cold evenings and cosy family dinners. From filling comfort food to flavour-packed classics, each recipe delivers the kind of warmth every winter meal should have.

1. Oxtail potjie

Slow-cooked and packed with deep flavour, oxtail potjie is the ultimate South African winter comfort food. Tender meat, hearty vegetables and a thick, savoury sauce come together in one warming dish that’s perfect for sharing.

Oxtail potjie recipe

2. Roast butternut soup with curry-butter roti

This roast butternut soup is the kind of comfort food every winter day needs. Smooth, warming and full of flavour, it pairs perfectly with flaky curry-butter roti for dipping on cold evenings.

Roast butternut soup with curry-butter roti recipe

3. Inyama yenkomo (beef stew)

Rich, hearty and slow-cooked to perfection, inyama yenkomo is a true winter favourite. Tender beef simmered in a flavourful gravy makes this comforting stew perfect for warming up on cold days with family around the table.

Inyama yenkomo (beef stew) recipe

4. Ouma’s Karoo lamb pie

Golden pastry and rich, tender lamb filling make this Karoo lamb pie the ultimate winter comfort food. Warm, hearty and packed with flavour, it’s the kind of home-made meal that brings everyone back for seconds.

Ouma’s Karoo lamb pie recipe

5. Every-grain vegetable stew

Packed with wholesome grains and hearty vegetables, this comforting stew is perfect for the winter season. Warm, filling and full of flavour, it’s an easy one-pot meal made for cosy nights in.

Every-grain vegetable stew recipe

6. Lamb knuckle-and-potato soup

Nothing warms up a winter holiday quite like a hearty lamb knuckle-and-potato soup. Slow-cooked until rich and comforting, this filling bowl is packed with tender meat, soft potatoes and deep, savoury flavour.

Lamb knuckle-and-potato soup recipe

ALSO READ: 8 recipes that will up your veg intake this winter

This content was created with AI assistance. However, it was fact-checked, edited and ideated by actual human beings at TASTE.