What To Cook In August in Australia & NZ

Discover what to cook in August in Australia and New Zealand, with seasonal produce, cosy winter recipes, and easy meal ideas.

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If you’re in Australia or New Zealand and wondering what to cook in August, this is the final full stretch of winter. The cold has properly settled in by now, but there’s a shift happening too — citrus is at its absolute peak, and the first signs of spring are just starting to show up at the market. For me, this is when I lean hardest into soups, bakes, and slow-cooked dinners, but I also start bringing a bit more brightness onto the plate, mostly thanks to all the citrus around.

The key is balance. Winter cooking can get heavy by this point in the season, so I still add:

• A squeeze of citrus or a spoon of yoghurt stirred in at the end of a soup or braise
• Fresh herbs on top of anything rich
• A crisp side citrus salad next to the bakes and casseroles

That’s what keeps meals from feeling too heavy too soon.

What’s in Season in Australia in August

• Oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, and lemons
• Leeks, silverbeet, and kale
• Cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts
• Pumpkin and sweet potato
• Fennel, celery, and cabbage
• Lamb, chicken, and other cuts suited to slow cooking

Citrus Is At Its Best

Oranges, mandarins, and grapefruit are genuinely at their peak this month, and it’s worth taking advantage while they’re this good and this cheap.

My orange cake is the one I make on repeat once citrus season hits its stride. Whole oranges are simmered until soft, then blended straight into the batter with almond meal, so the cake stays moist with citrus running all the way through it. A dollop of basil-infused cream on top sounds unusual until you try it.

Try these citrus recipes:

• Orange Almond Cake with Basil Cream
• Watercress Salad with Avocado, Orange & Chia Seeds — a good way to bring citrus into a savoury meal, not just dessert
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup – take advantage of those cheap lemons!
• Grapefruit & Avocado Salad with Halloumi — sweet-tart grapefruit against salty grilled halloumi, a good starter or light lunch

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Leeks Are One Of The Best Winter Vegetables To Cook With

Leeks are in their element right now — sweet, mellow, and good at carrying a lot of flavour without much effort. I mostly reach for them in soups this time of year.

Try these leek recipes:

• Leek & Potato Soup – this is my lightened-up version of the classic soup with garlicky croutons on top; I use up the whole leek here.
• Cleansing Spinach & Leek Soup — a good one to make after a heavier week, packed with leeks, cauliflower, and broccoli
• Creamy Leeks & Butter Beans – a vegetarian skillet meal that can be a main or a side dish; also great on toast!
• Best Leek Recipes for more ways to use them if you’ve got a bunch to get through

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Cauliflower Is Everywhere Right Now

Cauliflower is cheap and plentiful in August, and it’s one of those vegetables that goes in almost any direction — creamy, roasted, or blitzed into rice.

Try these cauliflower recipes:

• Cauliflower Risotto — a grain-free, low-carb risotto that’s genuinely creamy without much cream
• Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Sauce — charred and golden with cumin, turmeric, and smoked paprika, then finished with a tangy tahini sauce
• Coconut Chicken With Cauliflower Rice – a low-carb one-pot dinner that’s creamy, warm, and satisfying.
• 20 Cauliflower Rice Recipes and Healthy Cauliflower Recipes for more ways to use it up

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August Is Still Prime Soup & Slow-Cooked Dinner Season

This is the part of winter where a good one-pot dinner earns its keep. I’m still reaching for these most weeknights.

Try these slow cooked recipes:

• Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake — creamy, one-pot, and makes a weeknight feel like more effort than it was
• Chicken Lentil Soup — thick, protein-packed, and finished with a tangy cilantro yogurt sauce
• Korean pulled pork – with gochujang and pear is fall-apart tender, a little sweet, a little spicy, full of umami, and seriously versatile for tacos, bowls, sliders, and meal prep
• Slow-Cooked Rump Roast – if pot roast and a beef ragu had a baby, it would be this slow-cooked beef dish
• Borscht (Vegetarian Beet Soup) — my family’s recipe, deeply coloured and earthy-sweet with a good hit of dill
• 20 Winter Soup Recipes for more ways to fill the freezer before spring
• Best Slow Cooker Dinner Ideas

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More August Recipes