Seasonal January dishes

Updated on 02 January 2024

January foods in season and what to cook with them

January ushers in a new year – and with it, the perfect chance to get inspired in the kitchen. Whether you’re in search of healthy dishes or comfort food classics, there's plenty of scope to include these delicious seasonal ingredients in your cooking.

Vegetables

Hardy root vegetables are at their best in January, so if you've decided to take part in Veganuary this year (or you're just looking to eat a little bit less meat), there are plenty of options for you to try. Top picks include beetroot, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, parsnips, swedes, potatoes and sweet potatoes, as well as turnips. Peppers are also slowly coming into season.

Jackfruit vegan curry

Vegetable toad in the hole

Cauliflower and smoked cheese gratin

Crispy sprout bowls with honey tahini dressing

Kidney bean and sweet potato stew

Kidney bean and sweet potato stew (Image: Simply/Mitchell Beazley)Simply/Mitchell Beazley

Meat

This month is all about game, with goose, guinea fowl, rabbit and venison all in season. It's also a good time for hearty beef and pork dishes, especially roast dinners. If you're looking for something a little bit lighter, turkey is still on the shelves, but won't hang around for long – the bird sees the end of its seasonality this month. 

Venison sausage and wild mushroom traybake

Roast pork belly with garlic potatoes

Turkey and ham casserole

Rabbit tagliatelle

Beef stew with dumplings

Beef stew with dumplings (Image: Waitrose & Partners/loveFOOD)Waitrose & Partners/loveFOOD

Seafood

A variety of different shellfish are in their prime this month – specifically clams, mussels, oysters, crab and scallops. In terms of fish, this month sees the first of the cod coming into season, while mackerel, Dover sole, halibut and monkfish are all good bets too.

Quick mustard prawn curry

Chunky fish soup

Smoky bean and monkfish stew

Easy Thai fish cakes

Ginger and preserved lemon crab spaghetti

Ginger and preserved lemon crab spaghetti (Image: Clodagh's Weeknight Kitchen/Kyle Books)Clodagh's Weeknight Kitchen/Kyle Books

Fruit

Boost your vitamin C levels and add a little colour to your meals on long, dark days by adding bright oranges, grapefruits, clementines and lemons to your diet. Bramley apples, Comice and Conference pears, passion fruits and pomegranates are all in season, too – and the first of the year's forced rhubarb is starting to appear. Meanwhile, dates and quince are seeing the last of their seasonality. 

Don't forget that many nuts like almonds, chestnuts and hazelnuts are also still in season.

Lemon thyme, honey and almond cake

Orange, almond and cardamom madeleines

Clementine sponges with cranberry sauce

Hazelnut brownies

Sticky date pudding

Fig and frangipane tarts (Image: Rick Stein's Secret France/BBC Books)Rick Stein's Secret France/BBC Books

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