Best 10 Autumn and winter vegetables recipes

The cooler months are rich with hearty root vegetables and nourishing greens. You don’t have to settle for plain boiled veggies either. There are plenty of ways that you can make them interesting, like using herbs and spices or pairing them with unlikely sauces and dressings.

From Indian subzis to Greek skordalias, take a look at some of our favourite recipes which make the most of autumn and winter vegetables.

1. Swiss chard with garbanzo beans

This leafy green veg is also known simply as ‘chard’. It has large, tender deep green leaves and thick crisp stalks. It’s an incredibly nutritious veg, and is packed with magnesium, calcium and copper. It also covers your daily needs for vitamins A and K. What’s more is that it’s extremely low in calories, making it a great weight-loss food.

However, chard tends to be quite bland, and relies on other ingredients to give the flavour a lift. This recipe for swiss chard with garbanzo beans by Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar does that perfectly. Pancetta, shallots and garbanzo beans add flavour and texture to the chard, and a pinch of red chilli flakes gives it a little kick. It’s the perfect side dish or piled onto bruschetta.

2. Scallops with curried parsnip puree, parsnip crisps and pomegranate

Parsnips have a lot of potential and are much more than just an addition to a Sunday roast. If you’re looking for a Christmas starter that’s bound to impress, this recipe for scallops with curried parsnip puree, parsnip crisps and pomegranate by Marcus Wareing is perfect. Tender scallops are served with a parsnip puree that’s been gently spiced with curry powder, ground coriander, ground cumin and ground turmeric. Check out our website for any of these spices. Served with a sweet pomegranate dressing and crispy parsnip crisps, it’s a simple yet flavoursome dish.

3. Roasted butternut squash risotto

Nothing beats a good risotto during the colder months. This recipe for roasted butternut squash risotto by Cookie + Kate is a healthy yet delicious option for a midweek dinner. Butternut squash is roasted, and fresh sage is lightly fried before being stirred in with the risotto. This recipe calls for brown rice instead of rice, making it a much healthier version.

Looking for more risotto recipes? Check out our recipe for Mediterranean saffron risotto and Cajun kabano risotto.

4. Roasted cauliflower with pancetta, olives and crisp parmesan

This recipe for roasted cauliflower with pancetta, olives and crisp parmesan by Melissa Clark somehow manages to make cauliflower seem exciting. Tossed together with salty olives, pancetta and parmesan before being roasted, it’s a creative take on this autumn and winter vegetable. You can choose to add either whole cumin seeds or whole caraway seeds for an extra punch. Serve as a main dish or as a side to roasted meat or fish.

5. Squash with chilli yoghurt and coriander sauce

This recipe for squash with chilli yoghurt and coriander sauce comes from Plenty More, Yotam Ottolenghi’s follow up to his award-winning cookbook Plenty. It focuses on vegetable dishes with the emphasis on flavour, spices and freshness of ingredients. This particular recipe is an easy way to use up your supply of squash, and is a great vegetarian side dish. Squash is mixed with ground cinnamon, oil, salt and pepper before being roasted. For the sauce, you’ll need some Sriracha, Greek yoghurt, fresh coriander and garlic. Sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on top and you have yourself a delicious side dish.

6. Parsnip gratin with gruyere and thyme

This recipe for parsnip gratin with gruyere and thyme by Feasting at Home is another fantastic vegetarian side dish. It’s easy to make and is a real crowd-pleaser. Thinly sliced parsnip is layered with onions, gruyere and fresh thyme. A creamy sauce flavoured with garlic, nutmeg, pepper and thyme is poured over before being baked. Nutmeg is key here, as this spice gives the dish a nutty and sweet flavour. If you’re not sure which to use, freshly ground nutmeg tends to be more aromatic than pre-ground nutmeg.

7. Winter carrot and beetroot salad

Just because it’s not summer, it’s not an excuse to skimp on the salads. There are plenty of salads you can make using autumn and winter vegetables, such as this winter carrot and beetroot salad recipe by Cupful of Kale. Carrots and cooked beetroots are mixed together with chunks of chopped cashews, dried apricots, chickpeas and fresh coriander. For the dressing, you’ll need fresh orange juice, coriander, extra virgin olive oil and cayenne pepper. It’s a quick and easy salad which combines sweetness, spice and texture.

8. Potato leek subzi with fennel and mustard seeds

A subzi (also spelt sabzi) is an Indian dish of vegetables cooked in spices and curry flavours. This recipe for potato leek subzi with fennel and mustard seeds by Vegan Richa uses the best of cold weather potatoes and leeks. The vegetables are stir fried with a generous helping of spices like mustard seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric and red chilli flakes. You can even choose to add your favourite spices – ginger and garlic go really well. Subzi is best served hot as a side with any meal.

9. Parsnip skordalia with wild mushrooms

Enjoy the flavours of the Mediterranean with this skordalia – a thick puree in Greek cuisine which is made by combining crushed garlic with a bulky base, before adding olive oil to make a smooth emulsion. We love this particular recipe for parsnip skordalia with wild mushrooms by Delicious. The wild mushrooms pair really well with the soft parsnip puree. For a lovely crunch, add some dukkah, a Middle Eastern spice mix which contains sesame seeds, roasted hazelnuts, coriander seeds, cumin, sea salt, thyme and black pepper. 

10. Baked savoy cabbage with miso dressing and puy lentils

Looking for a different take on a savoy cabbage? This recipe for baked savoy cabbage with miso dressing and puy lentils is just what you need. Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soy beans mixed with salt and kōji. As a probiotic, it’s also really healthy for your gut. The sweet umami flavour of the miso goes perfectly with the slightly bitter cabbage leaves, and the puy lentils add texture and fiber. If you’re interested in cooking more with lentils, take a look at our blog post where we cover the different types of lentils and how to cook them.