For busy holiday hosts who spend the season baking, decorating, shopping, wrapping, and more, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day can feel like the ultimate gift. It’s a time to recharge, and an opportunity to spend time with loved ones without the frenzy of holiday activities. If your idea of a perfect break includes plenty of couch time, staying cozy, and eating delicious food, we’ve got you covered. These 10 recipes are low effort, big reward, and can feed the entire family. These wintery meals are hearty, sneak in some extra nourishment, and are hardly any work at all, thanks to a short list of ingredients and minimal prep. They’re perfect for sharing after a day of playing with the kids, walking through the snow, or doing nothing at all. Save these after-Christmas recipes for a week of rest and relaxation inside and out.
Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This belly-warming recipe is the definition of cozy, and is a delicious way to stretch a buck after a month of holiday splurging. It’s a classic recipe that leans into baby spinach, broccoli, and cannellini beans to bulk up this vegetarian soup but still keep things light. It’s hearty, affordable, and made with plenty of cheddar cheese. What more could you want?
Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Bake
This comforting casserole is kid-friendly, thanks to a layer of melty mozzarella and family-friendly sweet potatoes, but loaded with nutrients you can feel good about serving. Ten minutes of prep is all you need for a complete meal-in-one loaded with lean ground turkey, spices, and baby spinach. Don’t forget the hot sauce on the side for the adults!
Pot Roasted Vegetables
If too many cookies and candy canes have you craving something nutritious and satisfying, try this plant-powered take on pot roast. A medley of root vegetables–think carrots, parsnips, and potatoes–alongside mushrooms and celery becomes savory-sweet and caramelized, roasted low and slow in the oven. Serve over noodles, polenta, or rice for a complete, vegan-friendly meal.
Slow Cooker Taco Soup
This mashup recipe combines two family-friendly dishes into one “set it and forget it” meal that’s perfect for lazy days. Classic taco ingredients, like ground beef, bell peppers, chilies, beans, and corn, combine into a hearty dish that’s somewhere in between soup and stew. Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or any of your favorite Tex-Mex fixings.
Instant Pot® Hoppin’ John with Greens
You don’t have to wait until New Year’s Day for this easy spin on Hoppin’ John, a traditional southern side dish said to bring good luck in the coming year. The Instant Pot makes it easy to serve our meal-worthy version with savory ham, collard greens, black-eyed peas, and rice in under an hour, no soaking or stirring required.
Sheet Pan Tikka Masala Chicken and Cauliflower
Ditch the takeout menu and pull out a sheet pan for this version of an Indian restaurant favorite. Jarred tikka masala sauce is the time-saving shortcut that adds layers of flavor and gentle spice to chicken breast and cauliflower served with a side of fluffy store-bought naan.
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Five ingredients plus 10 minutes of prep equals vacation math that anyone can do. The slow cooker does most of the work for this comforting, ooey-gooey baked ziti made with your favorite tomato sauce and two kinds of cheese.
Weeknight Pasta Fagioli
Even if you can’t remember what day it is, this quick and easy riff on “pasta fazool” is ready whenever you are. A mix of pre-chopped fresh, frozen, and canned veggies and beans helps get this comforting soup with ramen noodles and fresh basil on the table in 15 minutes.
Chicken with Peas and Mushrooms
Just add your favorite starch alongside this cozy skillet chicken for a complete, cold-weather comfort meal that’s ready in 15 minutes. A simple three-ingredient pan sauce made with garlic adds flavor and luscious texture to chicken breasts cooked together with sliced mushrooms and frozen peas.
Christmas Eve Pasta with Grape Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Christmas may be over, but there’s no wrong time to enjoy this festive,15-minute pasta decked in red and green. Grape tomatoes and mini mozzarella pearls are the “ornaments” tossed with linguine noodles tinted green from store-bought pesto and fresh basil.
