Classic Stir Fry
Quick, colourful, and full of fresh crunch — this classic stir-fry brings together the best of east-meets-west cooking. It’s the kind of weeknight dish Canadians love: a mix of market veggies, lean chicken, and that perfect glossy sauce that ties it all together. Fast, healthy, and endlessly adaptable, it’s dinner on the table before the rice cooker even clicks.
Chicken Or Pork Dumplings — With Vegan Option
When the weather turns stubborn—rain on the windows or soft snow piling up—we gather at the table with a stack of wrappers and a bowl of filling. Someone mixes, someone fills, someone pinches the corners into little boats. A tray fills, the kitchen warms, and soon there’s a pot or skillet hissing away. These dumplings are humble, hands-on, and perfect for batch cooking—they freeze beautifully for the next stormy night.
Dumpling Soup With Chilli And Bok Choi
A fast, cozy bowl for cold nights: good chicken stock brought to a simmer, dumplings slipped in, bok choi for fresh crunch, and a spoon of jarred chilli to wake everything up. It’s pantry-simple, weeknight-quick, and exactly the kind of comfort that gathers everyone to the table.
Chinese Egg Fried Rice (With Peas And Ham)
A true weeknight classic—leftover rice from yesterday, a handful of frozen peas, and a bit of Sunday ham become a hot, savoury bowl in minutes. It’s the kind of skillet supper that fits Canadian kitchens: practical, fast, and perfect after hockey practice or a cold walk home.
Sausage and Mash
Comfort-food classic with a Canadian wink, sausage and mash went from pub fare to weeknight staple here—think Yukon Gold potatoes, prairie-style grainy mustard, and good butcher’s sausages sizzling in a skillet. Piled high with creamy mash and a glossy onion gravy, it’s cabin-cozy, city-friendly, and perfect for cold nights.
Chicken and Pepper Quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa
Quick, melty, and hockey-night reliable, quesadillas slid into Canadian kitchens on the strength of leftovers and greenhouse produce—rotisserie chicken, peppers and mozzarella. Sizzled in a skillet and served with salsa, guac, and sour cream, they’re a cross-border classic that feels right at home here.
Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce
Bright, tangy, and built for a crowd, these enchiladas brought a little Mexico into our Canadian kitchens—first as a restaurant discovery, then as a weeknight staple. The tomatillo sauce is fresh and zippy, the filling flexible (chicken or sweet potato), and the whole tray disappears fast at family dinners.
Scotch Eggs
Golden, crisp, and hearty, Scotch eggs are a true British pub classic — a soft or hard-boiled egg wrapped in seasoned sausage, coated in crumbs, and fried until crunchy. While rooted in England, they’ve found their way onto Canadian breakfast and brunch tables, often at farmers’ markets and gastropubs. Hearty enough for a meal yet portable like a snack, they fit beautifully into Canada’s love of breakfast-on-the-go, especially when paired with local sausage and farm-fresh eggs.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Warm, creamy, and bubbling from the oven, spinach and artichoke dip is one of those dishes that feels right at home in Canada — whether it’s served at a hockey night potluck, a summer cottage gathering, or as a holiday appetizer. Cheesy, garlicky, and loaded with greens, it’s indulgent yet comforting, a dish that always disappears fast when set on the table.
Smoked Fish Pâté
Smoked fish pâté is Canadian at heart — simple, rustic, and refined all at once. I usually make it with smoked trout, a nod to Canada’s lakes and rivers, but…
West Coast Salmon and Dill
On Canada’s West Coast, salmon is more than food — it’s a way of life, a symbol of the coast itself. Flaky, tender salmon or trout served with a bright dill and caper sauce feels effortlessly elegant yet remains wonderfully simple. Piled on toasted bread or served over greens, it captures the balance of richness and freshness that defines West Coast cooking.
Tuna Tataki with Mango & Veg
Tuna tataki — a Japanese classic of lightly seared tuna with a cool, raw centre — has found a home in Canada’s mosaic of flavours. On the West Coast, where sushi culture thrives and fresh seafood is part of daily life, tataki has become a favourite starter. This version takes on a Canadian twist with seasonal fruit: sweet peaches from Niagara or juicy mangoes from Toronto markets, adding brightness, balance, and a touch of local character.
Indian-Style Samosas
Samosas are one of those dishes that need no introduction — crisp pastry pockets filled with spiced potatoes, peas, and herbs. In Canada, they’ve become more than just an Indian snack: you’ll find them in food trucks in Toronto, bakeries in Vancouver, and at family potlucks across the country. Affordable, bold, and endlessly satisfying, samosas are proof of how global traditions have been warmly folded into Canadian kitchens.
Tomato and Basil Soup
Few dishes are as comforting as tomato soup with grilled cheese. In Canada, this pairing is pure nostalgia — warming bowls of tomato-basil soup served alongside golden, gooey sandwiches made with chedder cheese on white bread were a childhood staple. Simple, nourishing, and endlessly adaptable, tomato soup is as welcome on a snowy afternoon as it is at a summer table made with fresh garden tomatoes.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is the go-to comfort food in Canada — the cure-all for colds, the warm hug on a snowy day, and the dish that makes the most of leftover chicken or turkey from holiday dinners. Simple yet deeply satisfying, it’s the kind of soup that carries both nostalgia and nourishment in every spoonful.
Earls Inspired Clam Chowder
This creamy chowder, inspired by the version at Earls, is hearty, rich, and deeply comforting — the kind of bowl that feels like home on a chilly Canadian day. Made with chicken stock, potatoes, smoky bacon, and cream, it’s a versatile dish that works with or without clams. Whether served on the coast or far inland, it has become a Canadian favourite for its warmth and flavour.
Family Favourite – Steak and Hummus
This dish is where Greek flavours meet Canadian comfort. Inspired by the Mediterranean pairing of grilled meats with hummus and flatbreads, it found an easy home in Canadian kitchens — where focaccia or naan often takes the place of pita. Tender steak, creamy hummus, and peppery rocket create a starter or light meal that feels rustic yet refined, echoing both Greece’s sunlit tables and Canada’s love of grilled beef and bold, fresh flavours.
Classic Caesar Salad – Light
The Caesar salad was first tossed together in 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant in Tijuana, Mexico. What started as a resourceful mix of lettuce, egg, cheese, and croutons quickly spread across North America. In Canada, it became a favourite during the steakhouse boom of the 1950s–60s and never left our tables. This lighter version keeps the bold, garlicky flavour but adds chicken, crisp Parma ham, and eggs to turn it into a meal.
Perfect Pulled Pork
Pulled pork may have Southern roots, but it has found a true home in Canada. From backyard barbecues and hockey nights to rib festivals that fill Ontario and Alberta towns with smoke and music, slow-cooked pork has become a dish of celebration. Sweetened with maple, simmered in local barbecue sauces, and stretched to feed a crowd, it captures the Canadian way of cooking: resourceful, hearty, and built around gathering.