As the temperatures drop, comfort food naturally takes centre stage. Winter is the perfect season to lean into meals that feel both nourishing and indulgent, with ingredients that bring warmth, richness and flavour to every bite.
Macadamias are a natural fit for cold-weather cooking, adding a rich, buttery taste and satisfying texture to everything from hearty breakfasts and soups, baked treats and comforting desserts. From whole roasted nuts for added crunch, to creamy macadamia butter for depth, and macadamia oil for a subtle, luxurious finish, they offer endless versatility in the kitchen.
Love Macadamia offers a wide range of recipes that showcase just how flexible this ingredient can be, with a collection of winter-inspired dishes designed to be both easy to recreate and impressive enough to share. To make things even easier, we’ve selected a few of our favourites below. So, go a little nutty in the kitchen and let macadamias elevate your winter cooking, bringing warmth, comfort and a touch of indulgence to the colder months. From soups to mains to desserts, there’s something to suit every craving – and plenty more where these came from.
Turmeric Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 8
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
900g orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
8 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of cayenne pepper, more to taste
¼ cup unsalted macadamias
Fresh lime wedges, to serve
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
Chopped macadamias, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
- Toss the onions and sweet potatoes in oil and salt and spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for about 50 min, until the vegetables are cooked but not burnt.
- Transfer the vegetables to a large saucepan and add the vegetable broth, ginger, turmeric, and cayenne.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
- Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the macadamias. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes to soften the nuts and cool the soup slightly.
- Pour the soup into your blender in batches and puree on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
- Return the soup to the saucepan, season to taste, and warm it over low heat.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and add a splash of the lime juice, top with cilantro and macadamias.
Stuffed Macadamia Mushrooms
Prep time: 5 mins
Serves: 4
Cook time: 10 mins
Ingredients
4-6 large portobello mushrooms
½ cup macadamia nuts roughly chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon chives finely chopped
1 sprig thyme leaf
sea salt pinch
Parsley freshly chopped to serve
Lemon wedge, to serve 4
Instructions
- Remove mushroom stems and finely chop.
- In a mixing bowl combine mushroom stems, garlic, macadamias, oil, chives, thyme and sea salt.
- Place mushrooms bottom side up on an air fryer tray.
- Fill each mushroom with macadamia mixture and drizzle with additional oil (or use garlic infused, lemon infused or truffle infused oil for additional flavour).
- Bake in air fryer at 170°C for 10-12 minutes or until mushrooms are soft and stuffing is golden (you can also cook these in a pre-heated medium oven, for 20 minutes).
- Season with sea salt and serve with fresh parsley and lemon wedge.
Macadamia Nut Crusted Fishbowl
Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 4
Cook time: 18 mins
Ingredients
1 (400ml) can coconut milk
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
Extra-virgin olive oil or cooking spray
350g green beans, trimmed
1 egg
½ cup raw macadamia nuts, finely chopped
½ cup coconut flakes, sweetened or unsweetened
450g white fish, such as cod, halibut, or tilapia, cut into 4 pieces
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
- Transfer 2 to 3 tablespoons of the coconut milk to a small bowl, set aside.
- In a second medium pot, add the remaining coconut milk, 1 ¼ cups water, ginger, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the salt, stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice using a fork. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit on the hot stove for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Grease a large rimmed sheet pan with olive oil or cooking spray. Once the water comes to a boil, add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the blanched green beans to the sheet pan.
- In a shallow bowl or pie dish, beat the egg until smooth. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the macadamia nuts and coconut.
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Season the fish all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Dip each piece of fish into the egg, allowing the excess to drip off. Then dip the fish into the coconut mixture, gently pressing to adhere. Add the fish to the sheet pan.
- Drizzle or spray the green beans and fish with a little more olive oil and sprinkle the green beans with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Place the sheet pan in the oven until the fish is flaky, about 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and reserved 2-3 tablespoons coconut milk.
- To serve, divide the coconut rice and green beans among four bowls. Top with the rice with the fish. Drizzle with the chili mayo and sprinkle with the green onions.
Chicken and Macadamia Curry
Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 4
Cook time: 25 mins
Ingredients
50ml macadamia oil
1.5kg chicken thighs, skin removed and diced
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch chilli powder
500ml macadamia milk
Coriander for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the macadamia oil in a large saucepan or wok.
- Sauté the onions, garlic and ginger until soft. Add the spices and cook until aromatic.
- Add the chicken and cook while stirring for 5 minutes. Add the macadamia milk, bring to the boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is cooked and season.
- Serve with rice, garnished with fresh coriander sprigs.
Pumpkin and Macadamia Nut Risotto
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 4
Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients
1½ cups brown rice (short grain)
4 cups chicken (or vegetable stocks or miso soup)
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons macadamia nut oil
1½ cups pumpkin (diced)
½ cup macadamia nuts (toasted and chopped)
¼ cup goat or feta cheese
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 onion (finely sliced)
1 bunch parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Stir in pumpkin and rice, mixing well for 1 minute.
- Pour 1 ladle of stock and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, keep slowly adding stock until desired consistency of rice is reached.
- Stir in the macadamia nuts. Garnish with a drizzle of macadamia nut oil, goat or feta cheese crumble and sprinkle of parsley.
- Serve and enjoy
Macadamia Bon Bons with Chocolate Toffee
Prep time: 20 mins
Serves: 8
Cook time: 5 mins
Ingredients
For the bonbons:
150 grams macadamias (about a cup of whole macadamias)
3/4 cup coconut
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup / brown rice syrup or your sweetener of choice
Extra coconut and sesame seeds to roll the balls in
For the toffee:
2 heaped tablespoons brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Add the macadamias to a food processor and pulse until you activate a fine crumb. Add the remaining bonbon ingredients and process until combined.
- Taste the mixture for sweetness and adjust to suit your taste. Add a little more coconut if the mixture is too wet or a tablespoon of water if too dry.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop out some mixture and roll into balls, then roll in the extra coconut or sesame seeds.
- Add to a container and freeze the balls for a few hours.
- For the toffee:
- Add the syrup to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the mixture starts to change colour. It will bubble up and change colour very quickly (It burns easily so keep a close eye on it).
- Once you achieve a nice golden colour, turn off the heat and mix in the cocoa powder. The mixture will become very viscous.
- Dip your spoon in and run the strands over the frozen bonbons. It will have an impact. If the mixture gets too hard, warm on very low heat until it melts a little again. Serve or put back in the freezer for later.
Lime, Raspberry and Macadamia Tartlets
Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 5
Ingredients
Base:
6 fresh dates pitted and chopped
¾ cup macadamias
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cocoa butter nibs melted and cooled
Filling:
1 cup macadamia nuts
250 g fresh raspberries
3-4 tablespoons maple syrup to taste
1 teaspoon lime zest finely grated
½ cup cocoa butter nibs melted and cooled
Instructions
- Base - Place the dates, macadamias and cocoa powder in the bowl of a food processor and process until combined. Add the cooled melted cocoa butter and pulse until combined. Divide the mixture between 5 x 9cm round tartlet tins with removable bases. Press the mixture evenly to cover the base and sides of the tins and refrigerate.
- Filling - Place the macadamias in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add 125g of raspberries, maple syrup and lime zest and process until smooth. Taste for sweetness and add a little more maple syrup if desired. Add the cooled melted cocoa butter and pulse until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into the bases and tap gently to smooth. Decorate with the remaining raspberries and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour before serving.
- NOTE: If preferred, this recipe can be used to make one large round 23cm tart.
Credits
Images: Supplied
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