What To Cook In May (Australia Winter Recipes + Seasonal Ideas)

Discover what to cook in June in Australia and New Zealand with seasonal foods, cosy winter recipes, and easy meal ideas for the colder months.

Cooking with what’s in season in June makes shopping easier — and honestly, cheaper. The produce that grows in the cold is exactly what you want to be eating right now.

Here’s what to stock up on:

Vegetables

• Pumpkin / butternut squash – peak season; roast it, soup it, curry it
• Sweet potato – rich, hearty, and great for tray bakes (try these sweet potato recipes)
• Cauliflower – ideal for roasting, soups, or low-carb swaps (try these cauliflower recipes)
• Broccoli – quick to cook and pairs with everything
• Kale & silverbeet – tough enough to hold up in braises and soups
• Cabbage – underrated and perfect for slow-cooked dishes (try these cabbage recipes)
• Brussels sprouts – best roasted until the edges go crispy, like these Parmesan crusted Brussels sprouts
• Leeks – silky and sweet, brilliant in soups and one-pan dinners (try these leek recipes)
• Carrots – naturally sweet when roasted; try these maple glazed carrots.
• Beetroot – earthy and beautiful in warm salads or roasted as a side
• Spinach – quick wilted into soups, curries, and pastas
• Potatoes – the reliable winter staple, especially in a potato bake
• Fennel – underused but wonderful braised or in soups

Fruit

• Mandarins & navel oranges – peak citrus season
• Lemons – abundant and essential for brightening winter dishes
• Grapefruit – underrated and fantastic in dressings
• Pears – lovely baked or with cheese
• Kiwifruit – sweet and bright, good for snacking and smoothies
• Persimmons – if you can find them, try them sliced over yoghurt

👉 June is prime slow-cooker, soup pot, and oven tray season. Stock your pantry and use what’s growing.

My cooking in June shifts in a few key ways:

• More long, hands-off cooking: slow cooker, Dutch oven, oven trays
• Batch cooking is your best friend — make a big pot of soup or stew and eat from it twice
• Add warmth with spices: cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, ginger
• Finish dishes with acid (lemon, vinegar) to stop them tasting flat and heavy

The goal is cosy but not sluggish. A bowl of soup with good bread, a hearty tray bake with bright sides, a curry that’s warming without being heavy — that’s the sweet spot.

Pumpkin is arguably the best vegetable to cook with in June. It’s in peak season, it’s affordable, and it works in almost everything.

Here’s how I use it:

👉 Don’t skip roasting — it concentrates the sweetness and makes everything taste more intense.

Leeks are in peak season and genuinely underrated. They’re milder than onion, silky when cooked slowly, and work brilliantly in soups, tarts, and baked dishes.

Some ideas:

• Slow-sautéed leeks as a base for any soup or stew.
• Leek and potato soup — classic for a reason
• Braised leeks alongside chicken or pork
• Added to a winter frittata with cheese and greens
• Check out these leek recipes for inspiration.

June is peak citrus season in Australia — and I find myself reaching for oranges, mandarins, and lemons constantly right now.

A good splash of lemon juice finishes a soup. Orange zest goes into a marinade. A mandarin on the side is dessert. Citrus is what stops winter eating from feeling dull — it brightens everything up.

Tip: Zest your citrus before you juice it, and keep the zest in a small jar in the freezer. It’s one of those little kitchen habits that makes a real difference.

A few things I keep coming back to in June:

• Cook a big pot of soup on Sunday and keep it in the fridge for quick weekday lunches
• Batch-roast vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potato, beetroot) to use across the week in salads, bowls, and sides
• Keep your pantry stocked with tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, red lentils, and stock — between those four things and whatever veg is in the fridge, you can always make a decent dinner
• Don’t skip the fresh finishes — a squeeze of lemon, a handful of herbs, a dollop of yoghurt. These are what stop winter food from tasting heavy.