Often overlooked as a cooking ingredient, red wine offers all sorts of possibilities for enhancing and elevating the flavours and complexities of the food you make. Whether you’re looking to use up a half-drank bottle after hosting a dinner party or want to crack open a fresh a one and enjoy a glass or two while you prepare your meal, below you’ll find some great idea for making the most of every drop.
Learning to use red wine in your cooking will help you take your cuisine to the next level and unlock a whole new world of tasty and creative potential. Here are eight different ideas for red wine recipes.
1. Red wine grilled cheese
Thought that there’s no possible way to improve upon the classic grilled cheese? Think again. A wine and cheese sandwich, featuring a little heat and butter, is next level delicious. Just take your favourite wine and give it a quick reduction, spread it on the bread, stack the cheese, grill and prepare yourself for one heck of a treat!
2. Red wine meatloaf or burgers
Looking for the secret ingredient that will have everyone wondering what makes your meatloaf or burgers particularly special? Red wine is a great addition that will completely eliminate the possibility of your burgers of meatloaf being dry or boring. Throw in the right mix of herbs and spices and you’ll have a memorable meal in no time.
3. Red wine pasta
There’s no need for your weekend pasts nights to be repetitive. Have you tried cooking your pasta in red wine instead of water? You’ll have a visually stunning plate that’s super pleasing to your taste buds too. Top with a little garlic and parmesan cheese and you’ve got yourself a lively mid-week meal in minutes.
4. Red wine soups and stews
The body craves warm, hearty meals during the colder months and red wine makes a fantastic addition to many popular recipes. Throw some beef, red wine, and vegetables into your slow cooker before you leave for work in the morning and you’ll come home to a fabulous smell and a hot, decadent meal that’s ready to enjoy.
5. Red wine vegetables and salads
Make an easy red wine reduction and use it to jazz up all sorts of vegetable dishes and salads. Red wine goes particularly well with mushrooms or potatoes but can also be a welcome addition to a standard green salad dressed up with cheese, nuts, and a rich red wine dressing.
6. Red wine risotto
Give your risotto a beautiful colour and a complex flavour by adding some red wine to your favourite recipe. Mix in some garlic and a creamy cheese to create the ultimately in comfort food with just a few ingredients.
7. Red wine brownies and chocolate cake
Rich, fudgy brownies are the best way to have your wine and eat it too. Winemakers put a tremendous amount of work into crafting delicious wine, so let’s be sure none of it goes to waste. In addition to being a beloved beverage, wine has so much more to offer when it comes to crafting delicious flavours in all sorts of desserts. Pick a wine you really like and serve a glass alongside your wine-infused chocolate creation. You’ll feel spoiled rotten, just as you deserve to be.
8. Red wine ice cream sundaes
We can probably all agree that blackberries, goat cheese and red wine make a great combination on a cheese platter, so why not pile all the goodness atop a scope of rich, creamy ice cream? Trust us, this is an experiment you’re likely to repeat again and again and again.
