5 Crowd-Pleasing Mains To Make in February

Casserole dishes at the ready!

By
Megan Scott
Meg Scott
Megan Scott
Megan is a recipe developer and editor with 12 years of industry experience, most recently as culinary director at a marketing agency. In 2019, she also co-authored the 9th edition of the classic cookbook, Joy of Cooking.
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Published on 01/31/24
Macaroni and Beef Casserole in a baking dish with a spoon

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

There is a time for giant salads, grilled fish, and crisp-tender veggies, but that time is not February. The winter months, especially the shortest (yet the longest-feeling) month of the year require feel-good foods that need far less chewing than a salad. We're talking tender, slow-cooked meat, pillowy sliders, and oozy pasta bakes. Of course, the best side dishes for these kinds of meals tend to be vegetables prepared in the simplest possible way: steamed broccoli, sautéed greens, and roasted mixed veggies. It's all about balance, and the pure joy of hearty, comforting meals made at home.

  • 01 of 05

    BBQ Country-Style Ribs in the Oven

    Easy baked barbecued country style ribs recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Victoria Heydt

    You probably don't think of ribs as a super accessible cut of meat to prepare on a weeknight (or maybe any night). Most rib recipes require hours of careful cooking at low temperatures to get fall-off-the-bone results. Not this recipe! Wrapped in foil and slathered with your favorite barbecue sauce, country-style ribs couldn't be easier. For clean-up, just toss the foil and you're golden!

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  • 02 of 05

    Cheeseburger Sliders

    Cheeseburger sliders

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

    These irresistible cheeseburger sliders are great for serving a crowd, but they're also just a clever spin on a classic burger that can break up the weeknight monotony. What is it about tiny versions of beloved foods that's so dang appealing? Maybe being able to eat several of something is just more fun? Complete with pickles and "secret sauce" (it's just mayo, ketchup, mustard, and pickle juice), these sliders aren't just extremely cute. They're also extremely tasty.

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  • 03 of 05

    Meatball Subs

    Meatballs subs

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

    Made with homemade sausage and ground beef meatballs and a homemade marinara, these meatball subs have an almost nostalgic flavor à la your favorite old school red sauce joint. But if you're looking for those flavors with less work, you can easily substitute store-bought meatballs and marinara. Throw in some sauteed peppers and onions for the full experience.

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  • 04 of 05

    Easy Loaded Nachos

    Easy Loaded Nachos on a baking pan and on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

    The perfect food doesn't exi...

    Never mind. It's nachos. The perfect food is nachos. These are loaded up with taco-seasoned ground beef, plenty of cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, avocado, and sliced jalapeños for those who like a little burn with their dinner. My trick for superior nachos is to turn on the broiler for the last couple minutes to get the chips extra toasty.

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    Continue to 5 of 5 below
  • 05 of 05

    Macaroni and Beef Casserole

    Macaroni and Beef Casserole in a baking dish with a spoon

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    You can think of this dish as baked chili mac or remixed Hamburger Helper, but however you spin it, everyone will wants seconds. To make it, you'll brown ground beef with onion, bell pepper, and celery before adding store-bought spaghetti sauce and baking the whole shebang under a melty cheese blanket. Serve it with an easy veggie side like green beans or broccoli and wait for the compliments to start rolling in.

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