Ina Garten's 11 Best Winter Recipes, Because the Barefoot Contessa Definitely Knows Her Stuff (2024)

I am a huge Ina Garten fan. Huge. When my sister and I were growing up, her Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa, was one of those rare things we never argued over. We didn't do much "cooking" as teenagers, but I think we liked Garten herself. Through the show, you really get a glimpse of the hostess' lifestyle with all of the visits from friends and family — including her husband Jeffrey, who I feel like I know on the level of a best friend's dad because of his regular appearances. My mom must have noticed my obsession, because nearly every Christmas for the last 10 years, she has given both me and my sister Garten's latest cookbook.

What I love about the Barefoot Contessa is how soothing and practical her cooking advice is. Her theory is that the freshest, best ingredients you can find make for delicious meals. Makes sense. Also, she's sort of like a scientist, trying and trying the recipes for us until she figures out the perfect formula. She makes cooking seem approachable, and she makes entertaining seem like a cinch, even to those of us (like me!) who might not be super confident in the kitchen.

All of her cookbooks provide great recipes and advice, plus they warm the heart — which is why I've compiled 11 of her crowd-pleasing winter recipes that I have used on more than one occasion. These recipes come from all of her cookbooks, and I swear they will have you saying, "How easy is that?" just like the Barefoot Contessa herself.

1. Perfect Roast Chicken

Want to look like a culinary genius, but don't want to waste quality bonding time in the kitchen at a gathering? This perfect roast chicken recipe is your go-to. Garten's highest rated recipe for a reason, her roast chicken has that homey, mouthwatering smell that will have your dinner guests at hello. Plus, you can do the prep work before people arrive, so you can mingle. (The Barefoot Contessa would approve of that.)

2. Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

Oh, wow. Seriously, this slightly spicy, buttery, lemony dish is freaking awesome. It seems complicated, but watch the four-minute tutorial video... I swear, Garten will inspire you to make this pasta tonight. If you do all the chopping and measuring beforehand, it comes together in a flash. A good go-to for impressing a new boyfriend or girlfriend!

3. Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Healthy, salty, and addictive, these roasted Brussels sprouts are the best vegetable I've tried. Like, ever. With only four ingredients and very little prep work, they are super easy to pop in the oven while something (or someone) else cooks. Be a rockstar with this side-dish — Garten has found the perfect formula so you can relax and know the results will be fantastic.

4. Roasted Salmon With Herbs

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If you want to add some omega-3's to your diet, but don't necessarily love the taste of salmon on its own, this Barefoot Contessa at Home salmon dish is for you. The fresh herbs cut through the oiliness of the salmon, and it's certainly a dish you can feel good about. It brightens up even the dreariest of winter evenings. Also, you're in for a lovely, bright smell experience after chopping these fragrant herbs.

5. Mushroom Lasagna

Mmmm, comfort food. I love this Barefoot Contessa mushroom lasagna recipe because of the short ingredient list and lack of tomato sauce (I'm not a tomato person). Plus, if you're like me and you only have time to cook once or twice a week, this meal will last and last. The leftovers keep well, freeze well, and taste seriously amazing. I think the secret is the nutmeg, but I'm no Contessa.

6. Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

This smart, yummy salad is not exactly a winter recipe, but it's such a winner I had to include it. Roasting the tomatoes adds a ton of flavor, and how can you go wrong here? I mean, mozzarella cheese? Basil? This salad could easily stand on its own with the addition of some chicken or shrimp, but it also works well as a chic side-dish that doesn't take much assembly. And it's so, so good.

7. Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

OK, this one takes maybe a teeny tiny bit more skill than the others, but I had to put the recipe on here because it is one of my all-time faves. Butternut squash is such an amazing winter veggie, and the addition of the saffron makes this dish feel sumptuous — like a luxurious blanket you can wrap yourself in after a tough winter day.

8. Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Apple Chutney

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Garten recently gave fans a peak at this fab and flavorful dinner recipe from her 2014 cookbook Make It Ahead on Today.com. If you are looking for something a little different, try this — it's sweet and savory, and it warms you to the core.

9. Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus seems so plain, so predictable. Not with the Barefoot Contessa, it isn't! This fantastic recipe kicks it up a notch. I swear, every time I make it, it is the thing on the table that people rave about — and there are only six ingredients. And it takes like, no time. Pair it with, well, anything. It's even a good brunch staple.

10. Green Beans with Shallots

Another great Barefoot Contessa classic veggie side that will satisfy even your pickiest dinner guest/family member/roommate, string beans and shallots is a recipe that is cheap, simple, and easy to memorize. The shallots add a nutty, salty flavor that is pure deliciousness. Make it once by the recipe and you'll have it down.

11. Tri Berry Crumbles

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Glamour magazine divulged this scrumptious dessert recipe from Garten's new cookbook Make It Ahead. Berries are my fave in the winter, because the frozen ones taste just as amazing as the fresh ones. And this dessert has so many healthy ingredients, it's practically guiltless. (So I tell myself.) Do what the Barefoot Contessa says, and pair it with Haagen Dazs ice cream. You deserve it.

Image: Reprinted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Copyright © 1999 by Ina Garten. Photographs copyright © 1999 by Melanie Acevedo. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

Image: Reprinted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style. Copyright © 2002 by Ina Garten. Photographs copyright © 2002 by Maura McEvoy. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC

Image: Reprinted from Make it Ahead. Copyright © 2014 by Ina Garten. Photographs copyright © 2014 by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC

Images: The Kitchn (2); Five and Spice; Mel's Kitchen; How Sweet It Is; Damn Delicious; Food Network; Half Baked Harvest

Ina Garten's 11 Best Winter Recipes, Because the Barefoot Contessa Definitely Knows Her Stuff (2024)

FAQs

Did Ina Garten sell Barefoot Contessa? ›

Garten ran the Barefoot Contessa store for 18 years — eventually moving it from Westhampton Beach to a bigger location in East Hampton — before she sold it to two of her employees in 1996. Three years later, Garten published her first cookbook with recipes from her store. Then, Food Network came calling.

Is Barefoot Contessa actually barefoot? ›

However, Garten is never actually barefoot in any of the episodes of her Food Network show (please correct us if we're wrong), and Curry, a Food Network insider, has never seen them.

Does Ina Garten use a microwave? ›

In addition to quick oatmeal, Ina Garten has also been known, on occasion, to use her microwave for simplifying what are usually more complicated cooking techniques. For example, she uses her microwave to not only melt butter but make clarified butter, in which the milk solids have been removed.

What is the new Barefoot Contessa cookbook? ›

Go-To Dinners

Cooking night after night during the pandemic inspired her to re-think the way she approached dinner, and the result is this collection of comforting and delicious recipes that you'll love preparing and serving.

Why did Ina Garten not have kids? ›

As a working woman in the '70s, Ina's choice to not have kids “wasn't a struggle at all,” she said. “I had no interest in having children. None. I just had a terrible childhood, and it was nothing I wanted to recreate,” she added.

How much is Ina Garten's husband worth? ›

Ina husband, Jeffrey, is also a financial powerhouse. According to Celebritynetworth.com, Jeffrey is worth $100 million, mostly thanks to his former jobs as managing director of Lehman Brothers and Blackstone Group.

Did Ina Garten have a bad childhood? ›

Back in 2021, the culinary icon told Al Roker on his podcast Cooking Up a Storm that she wasn't allowed in the kitchen growing up. "I don't know, I think my mother just wanted me in my room and she wanted the kitchen to herself," the Barefoot Contessa star said of her late mother.

What religion is Barefoot Contessa? ›

Born Ina Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York City and grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, Garten was one of two children born to Charles H. Rosenberg, a surgeon specializing in otolaryngology, and his wife, Florence (née Rich), a dietitian.

Is Martha Stewart friends with Ina Garten? ›

Martha Stewart and Ina Garten were friends before her appearance on Martha Stewart Living. "I first met Ina Garten about 10 years ago while I was shopping in the Barefoot Contessa," Martha Stewart shared as she introduced viewers to her longtime friend on the 1999 episode of "Martha Stewart Living."

What does Ina Garten eat for breakfast everyday? ›

"I've had the same thing for breakfast every single day for ten years: coffee and McCann's quick-cooking Irish oatmeal," Garten told Bon Appétit in a 2017 article. And her love of the stuff is well-documented.

What does Gordon Ramsay think of microwave? ›

Ramsay went on to concede that microwaves can be helpful for reheating meals or getting something slightly warmer before you broil it, but he said they do not "impart flavor" in food in any meaningful way.

Why chefs don t use microwave? ›

'Stovetop and oven cooking/reheating are superior since you are better able to control temperatures, cooking techniques, and heat is more evenly distributed,' she explains. 'Microwaves more often than not produce soggy, unappetizing meals.

What is the best Ina Garten cookbook for beginners? ›

Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is the essential Ina Garten cookbook, focusing on the techniques behind her elegant food and easy entertaining style, and offering nearly a hundred brand-new recipes that will become trusted favorites.

How old was Ina Garten when she bought Barefoot Contessa? ›

In 1978, shortly after she turned 30, Garten gave up her DC life and decided to buy a small specialty food shop called Barefoot Contessa.

What did Barefoot Contessa do before cooking? ›

Before becoming a celebrity chef, Garten worked for the government. In the late 1970s, Garten lived in Washington, DC, and worked for the White House Office of Management and Budget. According to Insider, Garten worked under both Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, helping to write the nuclear energy budget.

Who is the owner of Barefoot Contessa? ›

Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) is the author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, a beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon, with millions of followers in the US and abroad.

Who owns Barefoot Contessa? ›

Ina Garten

My husband Jeffrey and I drove to Long Island the next day to see the store and it was love at first sight. I had no experience in the food business - or in any business! - but I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to do.

What happened to Barefoot Contessa restaurant? ›

Barefoot Contessa closed permanently in 2004, but Ms. Garten still owns the building.

What happened to Barefoot Contessa on Food Network? ›

Barefoot Contessa hasn't produced new episodes since 2021, and anyone who still has cable knows that Food Network doesn't show Garten's TV shows as often as we'd like. However, Garten recently announced that she's working on new episodes for the cooking network.

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