The 31 Best Easy Recipes to Cook This January

Jan Valdez
Jan ValdezAssistant Recipe Producer
I cover recipe content on The Kitchn, write and update recipes and recipe roundups, and test recipes for the team. I have 10 years of experience working in R&D test kitchens, testing products and recipes, and at publishers including Serious Eats and EatingWell.
published Jan 1, 2025
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Here’s a warm welcome to the new year! After the hustle of the holiday feasts, endless trays of cookies, and festive cocktails in December, January is the perfect time to hit reset. (Think: hearty, comforting meals like classic lasagna, French onion pot roast, and coq a vin – all guaranteed to warm you up on those chilly winter evenings.) 

For busy weeknights, you’ll find super-easy recipes like 4-ingredient kielbasa and sauerkraut skillet, 5-ingredient honey garlic glazed salmon, and 4-ingredient harissa orange chicken thighs. Looking for some veggie sides to serve with dinner? Don’t miss the melting sweet potatoes, kale salad with crispy roasted potatoes, or the chopped broccoli salad with warm honey vinaigrette. These recipes are simple, delicious, and designed to make your January cooking feel effortless.

From hearty stews to one-pan dinners to simple desserts, we’ve got everything you need to stay cozy all month long. Here are our 31 best recipes to cook this January.

1 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter
Classic Lasagna

Also known as "the most delicious lasagna of all time," this classic version is all about the béchamel sauce.

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2 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Kelli Foster
One-Pan Tuscan Chicken

What makes this one-pan chicken dinner so delicious is the ultra-creamy sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes. It’s easy enough to pull together in the middle of the week, yet special enough for when you have people over for dinner.

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3 / 31
5 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites

Tender, bite-size pieces of chicken flavored with garlic and a generous shower of nutty Parmesan. This easy dinner is perfect with roasted broccoli or lemony tortellini.

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6 / 31
Joe Lingeman
Cheesy Skillet Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

In this fun twist on classic chicken Parmesan, chicken meatballs eschew spaghetti in place of extra marinara and a whole lot of melty mozzarella.

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7 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner
Caesar Butter

Caesar butter takes all the flavors of the classic salad and infuses them into a warm, buttery base that can double as a dip or a sauce. Think: bagna cauda, but instead of focusing on the anchovy it’s balanced with tangy lemon and Dijon, nutty Parmesan cheese, and, of course, butter.

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8 / 31
Photo: Erik Bernstein; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Melting Sweet Potatoes

Crispy outside + ultra-creamy inside = your new signature sweet potato side dish.

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9 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Brett Regot
Parmesan Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Spinach

Juicy baked Parmesan chicken meatballs in a creamy spinach sauce. If you like Swedish meatballs and creamed spinach, this is the perfect dish for you. And it’s the ultimate vehicle for garlic mashed potatoes.

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10 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Kale Salad with Crispy Roasted Potatoes

The combination of shallots, whole grain mustard, maple syrup, golden raisins, and a little soy sauce gives this roasted potato salad a salty, tangy, not-too-sweet flavor boost.

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11 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Kelli Foster
Greek Chicken

Marinating chicken thighs in an oh-so-simple marinade is the secret to great flavor. Pair it with Greek lemon potatoes and a Greek salad for the best dinner ever.

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12 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Perfect Cucumber Salad

Cucumber salad is the perfect thing to make when you want something lighter on the table that still brings serious flavor.

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13 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: James Park
Bola-Bola (Filipino Meatballs)

These tender and juicy meatballs will always hit the spot. You can pile them onto a platter and serve them with an assortment of dipping sauces, tuck them into buns or pandesal (Filipino rolls), throw some onto a rice bowl for lunch, or keep it super casual and plate them up with frozen french fries.

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14 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Kelli Foster
French Onion Dip Chicken Wings

Onion soup mix is the secret to making crispy, crunchy chicken wings packed with rich flavor.

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15 / 31
Photo: Vicky Wasik; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Bee Sting Delight

A simple no-bake dessert made with creamy honey-vanilla layers and toasted almonds on a graham cracker crumb crust, inspired by the classic bee sting cake.

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17 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Spencer Richards
Filipino Beef Short Ribs Adobo

Oven-braised beef short ribs and tender potatoes in a rich and flavorful sauce. Serve it over steamed rice for the ultimate comfort food.

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18 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter
Chopped Broccoli Salad with Warm Honey Vinaigrette

Chopped broccoli, chewy sweet dates, nutty toasted walnuts, aged cheddar, and crunchy shallots in warm lemon-honey vinaigrette. This salad would be right at home at a potluck dinner or even just for you with some rotisserie chicken.

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21 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ;Food Styling: Spencer Richards
Gochujang Butter Grilled Wings

Move over, Buffalo sauce: There’s a new wing sauce in town. These gochujang wings are spicy and sweet with a fresh kick of ginger. No grill? No problem! You can bake these wings in the oven (they're perfect for game day!).

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22 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Kelli Foster
One-Pan Marry Me Chicken

This one-pan dinner has it all: tender chicken, a sun-dried tomato cream sauce, and a 30-minute cook time.

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23 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: James Park
Lemon Crumb Bars

A simple, two-ingredient filling made from juicy fresh lemons and sweetened condensed milk goes on top of the crust and is finished with crunchy crumbles. These bars are so easy to make and you mix everything together in a single bowl — no stand mixer or food processor required!

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24 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: James Park
5-Ingredient Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon

Five ingredients and 20 minutes are all you need to make incredibly tender, flaky salmon fillets coated in a super-flavorful, sweet-and-savory sauce.

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25 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: James Park
Cheeseburger Sliders

Sautéed beef and onions, gooey cheese, and the perfect dipping sauce make these sliders the most delicious appetizer for game day.

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26 / 31
Photo: Ryan Liebe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Weeknight Spaghetti Bolognese

For this easy weeknight recipe, you can skip the carrots and celery (you can still add them if you have a little extra chopping time), but keep the pancetta, onions, and garlic. Adding a little beef bouillon boosts the flavor you might get from a long-simmering braise.

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27 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda
Cheesy French Onion Garlic Bread

This cheesy French onion garlic bread is the best of both worlds — it combines garlic bread and French onion soup, with none of the hassle. With just a few ingredients and a little help from the grocery store, you’ll have a delicious twist on garlic bread in no time.

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28 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Kelli Foster
Coq au Vin

This classic French stew is the coziest thing you’ll cook in January.

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29 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Spencer Richards
Neiman Marcus Bars

Boxed cake mix never looked so delicious. These gooey six-ingredient bars are guaranteed to be devoured every single time.

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30 / 31
Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter
Marry Me Chicken Soup

This comforting soup has it all: tender chicken, pasta, and a creamy Parmesan and sun-dried tomato broth.

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