Citrus is one of the most amazing ingredients, visually and flavour-wise, to enliven the winter palate/palette. Picture / Babiche Martens
Winter meals are often comforting, filling – and undeniably brown. Between root vegetables, slow-cooked meat, grains and pasta, the season of hearty food can easily become one of flat, samey flavours. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
With a few small additions – a squeeze of lemon, a spoonful of mustard, something tangy or green – even the most basic winter meal can be lifted into something vibrant and satisfying. You don’t need expensive ingredients or elaborate prep, just a handful of go-to flavour boosters that cut through the beige.
These are the tricks cooks and food stylists have used for years: the pickled onion on the stew, the spoonful of yoghurt on the soup, the grating of lemon zest over roast veg. And right now, they’re having a wider moment. Social media feeds are full of “lazy girl salads”, herby dressings and condiment-heavy dinners – all built around smart shortcuts to freshness.
Here are some of the easiest, most affordable ways to make winter meals taste alive again.
If a dish feels heavy or flat, it’s usually lacking acid. Adding something sharp will balance the richness of slow-cooked meat, creamy carbs or roasted root vegetables. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end of cooking, a splash of vinegar, or even some brine from a jar of pickles can make a dish taste instantly more dynamic.
For brightness on a budget, try apple cider vinegar, which works across everything from lentils to leafy greens. Red wine vinegar brings out the sweetness in tomatoes and onions, while balsamic adds depth to roasted kūmara or pumpkin. Even the humble splash of white vinegar in your mashed potatoes can lift the whole plate.
Lemon zest is a tiny ingredient that makes a big impact – especially in cold weather. Grated over roast veg, stirred through couscous, swirled into soups or used in creamy dressings, it adds a hit of fragrance without overpowering. Orange or lime zest works in a similar way, especially with spice-forward dishes.
To make it go further, zest a lemon before juicing it, and store any leftover zest in the freezer. It keeps surprisingly well and can be used straight from frozen.
Quick pickles are one of the easiest ways to add tang and crunch. Red onions can be thinly sliced and soaked in vinegar with a pinch of salt and sugar – ready in half an hour and perfect on top of stews, curries or even mac and cheese. Carrots, radishes, cabbage and fennel also take well to pickling.
Not in the mood? Just raid the fridge door. Capers, cornichons, pickled jalapeños and sauerkraut can all deliver acidity and texture when your dinner needs a lift. Even a spoonful of pickle brine stirred into mayo or mustard can turn a sandwich or wrap into something that tastes fresh.
Creamy sauces aren’t just for summer salads. Herby yoghurt dressings, tahini sauces, mustard vinaigrettes and flavoured oils can transform winter bowls and leftovers.
One of the easiest is to stir lemon juice, garlic and herbs through plain yoghurt – delicious on roasted carrots, baked potatoes or lentil dishes. Tahini with lemon and a splash of water makes a velvety dressing for grain salads or roast kūmara. Add mustard to your mashed potato. Drizzle chilli crisp oil on soup. Layer pesto through a grilled cheese. Think of condiments as the finishing touch that keeps your palate interested.
Fresh herbs in winter can be expensive and short-lived, but frozen ones are a game-changer. Chopped parsley, coriander and even basil are available in the freezer aisle, and they make it easy to add flavour and colour without waste.
Frozen spinach is another unsung hero – easy to stir into curries, soups, pasta or egg dishes for a hit of green. For brightness and crunch, frozen peas can be thawed and tossed through nearly anything. Just don’t overcook them.
Freshness isn’t just about taste – it’s also about contrast. Crispy toppings can bring a flat meal to life. Think toasted seeds or nuts, fried shallots, torn sourdough croutons or even a spoonful of dukkah or pangrattato (crispy breadcrumbs fried with garlic and herbs).
A sprinkling of grated parmesan or nutritional yeast also goes a long way – not just for saltiness but for that umami kick that makes a dish feel complete.
Try this fish with pangrattato and creamy mushrooms recipe.
Winter meals tend to be heavy on cooked elements – but adding something raw at the end can shift the balance entirely. A handful of sliced cabbage, a shredded apple or a few ribbons of raw courgette can make a bowl of warm food feel fresher, cleaner and more satisfying.
Raw kale or silverbeet can be shredded finely and tossed with lemon juice and olive oil to soften it slightly – a simple trick that adds both flavour and nutrition.
As food prices rise and produce availability shrinks, making simple meals taste better matters more than ever. The shift towards more pantry-based, low-waste and budget-conscious cooking doesn’t have to mean compromising on flavour.
These small tweaks aren’t about faking gourmet meals – they’re about restoring balance, variety and satisfaction to the foods we’re already cooking. And they’re especially useful in winter, when comfort food can start to feel repetitive.
Whether it’s adding something sharp, crunchy, herby or creamy, these flavour hacks help cut through the cold – and remind us that freshness isn’t just about what’s in season, but how we bring it to the plate.
Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years. From managing your kitchen to cutting costs, she’s shared some helpful advice recently, including how to prep your barbecue for summer grilling, gourmet hacks for elevating budget ingredients and what toppings to choose for different crackers.