60 Comfort Food Recipes That Warm Your Heart and Heal Your Soul (2024)

When cozy season arrives, it’s the perfect time to look up some recipes for comfort food. During the chilly months, we prefer warming, hearty meals like soup, stew, and casseroles. But that doesn't mean we don't need comforting dishes for the rest of the year, too. Comfort food, after all, is whatever makes you feel nourished and happy.

From mac and cheese and pot pie to savory soups and indulgent desserts, this recipe roundup covers all the comfort food bases with something for everyone. Here are our favorite soothing recipes to warm your hearts and bellies whenever you need a little pick-me-up.

Decadent Mac and Cheese

Three types of cheese—Gruyère, cheddar, and American—feature in this decadent recipe, making it the ultimate creamy-dreamy comfort food dish. Instead of the traditional béchamel, it calls for a bit of evaporated milk to thicken. Prepare yourself for potluck stardom.

Crispy Honey Mustard Chicken With Fries

Reminiscent of childhood, these delicious chicken thighs promise to be better than take-out. Start by slathering honey mustard all over skin-on chicken thighs, then coat the meat with crunchy panko. The cabbage, apple, and fennel slaw add color to the meal, while frozen french fries bring the comfort.

Skillet Chicken With Grapes and Shallots

When creamy polenta is involved the dish is bound to be warm and comforting. Cook the polenta with milk instead of water to make it extra decadent and velvety. Ready in just 40 minutes, this hearty dinner will surely fulfill that comfort food craving in no time.

Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie

This pot pie's velvety smooth sauce is a blend of olive oil, white wine, and milk. Make things easy for yourself by using store-bought pie crust, which bakes up golden and crispy.

Gochujang Gumbo

Gumbo is a Creole soup from Louisiana, and this untraditional variation includes gochujang—a spicy-sweet Korean chili paste. For even more flavor, top with sliced scallions and minced red Fresno chilies.

Rich French Onion Soup

This recipe has all the essentials for the flavorful, multi-textured soup you'd expect from its title: a crunchy bread topping, rich melty cheese, and wine-spiked beef broth. Make sure to purchase an extra bottle of wine to drink during the hour it takes to caramelize the onions.

Gabriella’s Pot Roast

Embrace your inner Italian with this warm, comforting pot roast. Two hours of gentle simmering results in tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef.

Lemon-Coriander Roasted Chicken With Leeks and Squash

Roast chicken is comfort food at its finest, and what makes this rendition special is a compound butter with cilantro, ginger, coriander, and lemon zest. Roasted over squash and leeks, this chicken is a whole meal unto itself.

Slow Cooker Chicken Congee

Since ancient times, congeehas been a secret weapon of traditional Chinese medicine for soothing the digestive system.This version of the popular rice porridge features a coconut-milk base flavored with garlic and ginger.

Simple Shepherd's Pie

The "simple" in this recipe title is relative. It requires 40 minutes of prep time—making mashed potatoes and a savory beef and vegetable stew and then layering them before tossing in the oven. Fortunately, this meal is still simpler than a trip to Ireland for the real thing.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Think chicken pot pie meets fettuccini alfredo. For this future family favorite, start with a rotisserie chicken, make a rich, decadent cheese sauce, add cooked spaghetti, and then broil the mixture on low for just a few minutes.

Charred Broccoli Rabe Pizza

Hear us out: bitter broccoli rabe on pizza with a healthy drizzle of hot honey. The combination of bitterand sweet, with plenty of melted mozzarella, is a total game changer.

Creamy One-Pot Mashed Potatoes

Our go-to mashed potato recipe comes together in a single pot with no fuss. Half-and-half, sour cream, and butter give this mash a creamy, luxurious finish. With this comfort food recipe in hand, you're halfway to a meat-and-potatoes masterpiece.

Thai Peanut Butter Ramen

If you need comfort on the fly, this recipe's for you. It turns store-bought ramen packages into a creamy, rich, Asian-style dish in just 20 minutes. Satisfying as is, or add a protein for a one-pot, weeknight meal.

Grandma Pie With Pepperoni and Pink Sauce

A grandma pie is simply a pizza that gets cooked on a standard baking sheet, making it easy for anyone to whip up at home. This variation includes melty mozzarella, crispy pepperoni coins, red onion, and creamy red sauce.

One Pot Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

This rich, hearty soup packs Italian turkey sausage and pillowy potato gnocchi into every bite. Store-bought gnocchi helps it come together in only 30 minutes, but if you have 20 more to spare, consider making your own ricotta-based gnocchi.

Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon

This velvety red lentil soup soothes and satisfies with plenty of fresh vegetables and spices, plus a bit of harissa for heat. We promise it's worth the extra step of transferring the soup to a blender to get a super-silky consistency.

Green Curry Noodle Bowls With Tofu

These vibrant, veggie-packed curry tofu noodle bowls warm you up from the inside out. They're bursting with refreshing, comforting flavors thanks to coconut milk, jalapeño, green curry paste, fresh ginger, cilantro, basil, and lime. Best part? Dinner for four is on the table in 20 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde

Enchiladas are comfort food at its finest. The chicken filling is rich and satisfying, while the sauce is tart, savory, and creamy. Cover the enchiladas with cheese, and you have the ideal one-dish dinner.

Classic Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

A slow cooker transforms this special-occasion-only recipe into an any-day one. It takes just 20 minutes of prep in the morning to turn a corned beef brisket into a full-bodied, satisfying evening meal the whole family will enjoy.

Parmesan Meatloaf

Meatloaf can get a bad rap, but this one is tender and rich, and requires only a handful of ingredients. To prevent dryness, opt for high-quality ground beef with a higher fat percentage.

Miso Chicken Noodle Soup With Kimchi

This bowl of comfort takes cues from Japanese and Korean cuisines. Its chicken-based broth is infused with white miso paste, soy, and tofu cubes, and the noodles are udon or soba. Last-minute stir-ins of an egg yolk and kimchi add creaminess and a punch to each bowl.

Macaroni and Cheese With Cauliflower

This twist on mac and cheese contains (don't tell the kids) chopped cauliflower, which adds a nutty essence. It's topped with breadcrumbs for a nice crunch.

Baked-Potato Eggs

Fill these twice-baked potatoes with egg, Parmesan, butter, and sausage for a rich, comforting meal. These stuffed potatoes work just as well for brunch as they do for dinner.

Spanakopita Creamed Spinach

This recipe merges a classic Greek appetizer with an old-school American side. The result is a cheesy, flavorful spinach dish that pairs well alongside any protein, from grilled steak to baked white fish.

Smoky Corn Chowder

Corn chowder gets a smoky upgrade in this recipe thanks to the addition of bacon and smoked paprika. Shower with sliced scallions before serving for a bright, fresh component.

Drunken Cheesy Bread

This one-pot casserole looks a bit wild, but the combination of Gruyère and ham is scrumptious. We love serving this cheesy skillet alongside a bowl of tomato soup.

Pizza Margherita

The ingredients are unremarkable: dough, tomato, and mozzarella. But what they add up to, topped with basil and baked until the cheese is bubbling and melty, is anything but.

Turkey Burgers With Lime Mayo

These turkey burgers are super flavorful thanks to finely minced onion and chili powder mixed into the patties. Layered with bright ingredients like lime mayonnaise, lettuce, and avocado, these burgers are balanced and satisfying.

Sausage and Sage Stuffing

Stuffing is comforting and delicious any time of year and doesn’t need to be reserved for the holidays. Infused with sausage and sage, this hearty stuffing has an Italian bent.

Three-Cheese Calzone

Three cheeses―Parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta―melt together in this oozy delight. Pre-made pizza dough makes preparing calzones at home a breeze.

Lamb Chops With Charred Asparagus

A meal that's elegant enough to serve to company can still be comfort food, as is the case with these hearty lamb chops. Charred asparagus, tossed with a bright, herby sauce, makes for a perfect, easy side dish.

Cheesy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

If you’re a salty-sweet fan, these cheesy spuds are for you. A topping of melted fontina and Parmesan is the perfect contrast to the candy-like sweet potato flesh.

Slow-Cooker Classic Beef Stew

A savory combination of beef, red wine, and thyme makes this dish worth the wait. The hands-on time for this recipe is minimal, but allow 7½ hours to let the slow cooker work its magic.

Chili for a Crowd

This hearty, lager-spiked chili is the ideal dish for a potluck, family gathering, or the big game. Full of beef, peppers, and beans, it’s flavorful and filling. Set up a chili bar so everyone can add whatever toppings they’d like.

Corn Spoon Bread

Double-down on comfort by pairing chili with this corn spoon bread. Or not, because it's good enough to eat by itself, baked until golden and warm from the oven.

Cheesy Baked Beans and Tomatoes

This recipe transforms basic pantry ingredients into a bubbling, pizza-like vegetarian main. Serve with crusty bread to sop everything up, and a fresh green salad to balance everything out.

Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Artichoke Dressing

What would a comfort food recipe roundup be without fried chicken? These weeknight-friendly chicken cutlets are easy to make at home, and the artichoke dressing offers a bright, briny component to the meal.

Quick Beef Stroganoff

With this recipe, you can make a satisfying beef stroganoff in 30 minutes, start to finish. Mushrooms, dry sherry, chicken broth, and sour cream make for a creamy, umami-rich sauce. Serve with rice as the recipe suggests, or atop any kind of noodle.

Roast Beef and Onions

You can't go wrong with thick slices of roast beef flavored with the distinctive tang of onions. If possible, season your beef the day before to let the salt work its magic overnight.

Smoky Maple Turkey

Great for the holidays or any big gathering, this make-ahead turkey is smoky and sweet, thanks to smoked paprika and maple syrup. Smeared with butter, the bird gets crispy, golden skin while its meat stays tender.

Instant Pot Beef Ragù With Pappardelle

This deeply savory beef ragù tastes like it’s been cooking all day, but it actually only cooks for about 30 minutes in an Instant Pot (on high). Serve over pappardelle, polenta, or your favorite grain.

Savory Baked Feta

A block of warm, creamy feta screams comfort food to us, and we love it in this Greek-inspired recipe with olives, oregano, and red onion. Make sure you have plenty of bread or pita crackers to scoop up every last bit.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Potatoes + cheese + cream = comfort. As a main or a side, serve this hearty stick-to-your-ribs dish with any green vegetable to allay guilt.

Instant Pot Coconut Curry Chicken

This Indian version of comfort in a bowl is prepared in the fast lane. Thanks to the Instant Pot, this aromatic, authenticcurry only tastes like it took all afternoon to make.

Shrimp and Brown Butter Grits

Forget about bacon (well, not really) because, as far as we’re concerned, it's brown butter that makes everything better. This version of the classic Southern combo also features grape tomatoes and smoked paprika, resulting in it tasting both bright and rich.

Classic Chicken Soup

This universal cure-all has been touted for centuries as a remedy for colds, flu, and congestion, and probably could end war and climate change if we gave it a chance. For now, it'll suffice that it just makes us feel better, no matter what ails us.

Slow-Cooker Coffee-Braised Brisket With Potatoes and Carrots

Any recipe with "slow", "brisket", and "potatoes" in it automatically qualifies as comfort food. Make an extra cup of coffee in the morning to pour into the slow cooker and by dinnertime, this beefy, stew-like dish is ready.

Rainbow Paella

Paella is the quintessential comfort food of Spain. This vegan version swaps the traditional chorizo, chicken, or seafood with a "rainbow" of veggies for a lighter, yet every-bit-as-delicious, one-pot meal.

Creamy Parmesan Risotto

Serve this creamy Italian staple with just about any main dish, provided you don't mind a side that steals the spotlight. It's a high-maintenance dish that demands your attention while cooking, but is so worth it.

Chicken Adobo

Adobo is how Filipinos do chicken and rice. This version combines pineapple and orange juice with classic Southeast-Asian flavors, giving this classic a sweet-and-sour twist.

Grits Pudding

Sure, grits are iconic with shrimp, but for breakfast...in a pudding? Think of this new sweet-and-spicy breakfast option as a cross between Cream of Wheat and rice pudding. Top with chopped pistachios and apricots, drizzle with honey, and you have a bowl that'll comfort you through the rest of the day.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

This comforting curry dish is thought to have originated in Britain by cooks who immigrated there from India, Bangladesh, or Pakistan. This version calls for simple pantry ingredients, including garam masala, and is served atop a bed of white rice garnished with a fresh cucumber-cilantro relish.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

An ice cream maker and five simple ingredients are all it takes to make this cold comfort classic. The recipe yields a quart—a single serving for some of us—so prepare to scale up accordingly.

PB&J Ice Cream Sandwiches

This recipe is childhood nostalgia and something you never tried before in the same bite. Overachievers can make the peanut butter cookies, jelly, and ice cream from scratch, but this recipe—which calls for store-bought—is for the rest of us who can't wait that long.

Flourless Spiced Hot Chocolate Cake

Hot chocolate meets chocolate cake in a fudgy, spiced dessert that's also gluten-free. Not decadent enough? Top with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

The Best Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Many of us think of apple pie as a fall staple, but with apples widely available year-round, there's really no reason we can't make this comforting dessert any time of year. Pair with ice cream or cheddar cheese to take this iconic symbol of American cuisine over the top.

Supreme Pizza

This easy-to-make recipe for supreme pizza calls for whole wheat dough, fresh mozzarella, and all the toppings. Red onion, bell pepper, pepperoni, mushrooms and more come together in one flavorful pie.

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Just when you thought mashed potatoes couldn't get any better, they did. Brown butter, which adds a nutty flavor, completely elevates the classic mashed potatoes recipe. Sour cream and half-and-half tossed into the mix makes these potatoes ultra creamy and luscious.

Slow-Cooker Beef and Noodle Curry

Stew meat and sweet potatoes sit in a bath of flavor-packed curry paste, onions, and ginger until the beef is extremely juicy and tender. After six hours of hands-off cooking, you'll dump in more curry paste, lime juice, coconut milk, basil, and salt, letting it cook for 15 more minutes before serving. Top with additional fresh basil leaves.