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  4. 30+ Simple and Delicious Comfort Food Recipes

30+ Simple and Delicious Comfort Food Recipes

Betty Gold
By Betty Gold Updated October 09, 2020
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Credit: Jen Causey

Cozy season has arrived, and with it comes a few of our favorite things: crisp fall weather, fuzzy socks and sweaters, and the perfect excuse to eat all of the warming, hearty comfort foods we want. From one-dish dinners like decadent mac and cheese, slow cooker Tuscan pot roast, and cheesy homemade sheet-pan pizza peppered with pepperoni and red sauce, this recipe roundup covers all the comfort food bases. And remember—just because it's classified as 'comfort food' doesn't mean it has to be bathed in butter and cream (although that's highly encouraged). We have a wide array of delicious healthy comfort food recipes here too, like roasted pumpkin soup with harissa and chickpeas, and green curry noodle bowls with tofu.

Whatever you choose to cook, I'm sure we can all agree that there's nothing quite as wonderful (or warming) as simple, satisfying comfort food on a cold winter night. Snuggle up by the fireplace with a glass of red wine as you flip through your options. Here, our top 31 hand-picked recipes sure to warm your hearts and bellies this season.

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Grandma Pie With Pepperoni and Pink Sauce

grandma-pepperoni-pizza-0519foo
Credit: Greg DuPree
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What's more comforting than homemade pizza? Homemade pizza with the word "grandma" attached, of course. After all, grandmas are often associated with delicious, comforting food, and this grandma-style pizza is no exception. What is a Grandma Pie, you ask? It's simply a pizza that gets cooked in a standard baking sheet. They're typically thin crust, but we pumped up this pizza with a fluffy, soft, tender crust instead. Toppings include melty mozzarella, crispy coins of pepperoni, fresh onion, and red sauce made with a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream, which makes this even richer than normal.

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Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Harissa and Chickpeas

Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Harissa and Chickpeas
Credit: Christopher Testani
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This soothing (and so-healthy) soup recipe gets a delicious kick from spicy harissa, which you'll mix in with shallots, chickpeas, garlic, cumin, cardamom, and fresh sugar pumpkin. Can't find sugar pumpkins? No problem—kabocha squash, a sweet Japanese variety of winter squash, can be used in its place. It's freezer-friendly, too: simply fill gallon-size freezer bags halfway with the stew and freeze flat. To thaw, place in a bowl full of warm water for 10 minutes then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat.

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Decadent Mac and Cheese

Decadent Mac and Cheese
Credit: Jen Causey
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Not one, not two, but three types of cheese get added to this decadent macaroni and cheese recipe, making it the ultimate dreamy-creamy comfort food dish. Gruyere adds complexity, cheddar gives it a sharp tang, and American cheese—don't turn up your nose—brings that gooey, melty, yummy, extra-cheesiness we all loved as little ones. And instead of béchamel sauce, you'll use a bit of evaporated milk to thicken your mac and cheese. How easy is that? 

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Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon

Citrus Recipes: Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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Talk about healthy and hearty: this velvety red lentil soup soothes and satisfies with extra fresh vegetables and a little zing of heat. The soup combines carrots, lentils, and butternut squash with plenty of spices, fresh ginger, and harissa paste for layered flavor. We promise it's worth the extra step of transferring the soup to the blender to get a super silky consistency.

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Green Curry Noodle Bowls with Tofu

green-curry-noodles-bowl-1019din
Credit: Antonis Achilleos
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These vibrant, veggie-packed curry tofu noodle bowls with warm you up from the inside out. Thanks to coconut milk, jalapeño, green curry paste, fresh ginger, cilantro, basil, and lime, this dish is bursting with refreshing, so-comforting flavors. Best part? 20 minutes gets you from prep to dinner for four. 

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Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde

Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde Recipe
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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Enchiladas are comfort food's finest. Their filling is rich, and satisfying; their sauce is tart, savory, and creamy with just enough heat. Covered them in cheese, are you've got yourself the ideal one-dish dinner. 

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Chicken and Vegetable Potpie

Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie
Credit: Maria Robledo
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This potpie's velvety smooth sauce is a blend of olive oil, white wine, and low-fat milk.

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Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

Macaroni and Cheese With Cauliflower
Credit: Maria Robledo
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This twist on mac and cheese contains (don't tell the kids) chopped cauliflower, which adds a nutty essence.

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Meat Loaf With Bacon

Easy Meatloaf Recipe With Bacon
Credit: Maura McEvoy
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Before popping it into the oven, top a meat loaf with strips of bacon to make it extra juicy and flavorful.

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Baked-Potato Eggs

Baked-Potato Eggs
Credit: William Meppem
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Twice-baked potatoes, topped with an egg and mixed with butter and Parmesan cheese are sinfully rich.

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Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach
Credit: Maria Robledo
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This all-time favorite is less indulgent―it's made with low-fat milk and reduced-fat cream cheese―but no less sublime.

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Chowder

Salmon, Sweet Potato, and Broccoli Chowder
Credit: David Prince
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Loaded with sweet potatoes and broccoli, this satisfying chowder can be also be made with chicken or pork.

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Beef Stew

Slow-Cooker Classic Beef Stew
Credit: Susie Cushner
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A savory combination of beef, red wine, and thyme makes this dish worth the wait.

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Drunken Cheesy Bread

Drunken Cheesy Bread
Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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This one-pot casserole looks a bit wild, but its combination of Gruyère and ham is scrumptious.

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Seafood Gumbo

Slow-Cooker Seafood Gumbo
Credit: Susie Cushner
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A staple of Louisiana Creole cuisine, gumbo has a mix of full flavors, like bacon, thyme, and okra.

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Pizza Margherita

Pizza Margherita
Credit: Maria Robleda
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The ingredients are unremarkable: chewy crust, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella. But what they add up to, topped with basil and baked until the cheese is good and melted, is anything but.

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Burgers

Beef burger
Credit: Christopher Baker
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Another indisputable comfort food classic that proves there's no need to get complex.

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Stuffing

Herb Stuffing
Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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The turkey may be the star, but would it be the same without stuffing? (Which wins too, hands down, in the coveted leftovers category.)

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Three-Cheese Calzone

Three-Cheese Calzones
Credit: Kan Kanbayashi
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Three cheeses―Parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta―melt together in this oozy delight.

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Lamb Chops

Lamb Chops with Potato-Carrot Pancakes
Credit: Kan Kanbayashi
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A meal that's elegant enough to serve to company can still be comfort food, as is the case with these mint-infused lamb chops.

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Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder
Credit: Lisa Cohen
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Hearty corn chowder made with russet potatoes and bacon seems as though it were invented to warm you on a chilly day.

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Pot Roast

Slow-Cooker Tuscan Pot Roast
Credit: Susie Cushner
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A long simmer in a slow cooker with mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, and wine gives pot roast some Tuscan zest.

RELATED: The Best Slow Cookers on the Market

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Credit: Dana Gallagher
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A dash of nutmeg accents the natural sweetness of these creamy mashed potatoes.

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Chili

Chili for a Crowd
Credit: Rob Howard
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Thick with beef, peppers, beans, and tomatoes, a lager-spiked chili is a meal in every bite.

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Corn Spoon Bread

Corn Spoon Bread
Credit: Sang An
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Pair that chili with corn spoon bread. Or, it's good enough to eat by itself, baked until golden and warm from the oven.

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Baked Beans

Baked Beans
Credit: Quentin Bacon
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Yes, they're a first-class side, but stir smoky bacon into molasses and brown-sugar flavored baked beans, serve with slabs of dark buttered bread, and they stand on their own.

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Crispy Chicken and Greens

Crispy Chicken and Garlicky Collards
Credit: Maria Robledo
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No roundup of favorite comfort food would be complete without fried chicken and greens (though, here the chicken, coated in multi-grain cereal, is actually baked).

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Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff With Yogurt and Dill
Credit: Maria Robledo
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This robust beef-and-noodle combo seems especially substantial on a brisk winter night.

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Roast Beef

Roast Beef and Onions
Credit: Con Poulos
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For a thoroughly satisfying meal, you can't go wrong with thick slices of roast beef flavored with the distinctive tang of onions.

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Turkey and Gravy

Sage-Roasted Turkey Breast and Gravy
Credit: Tina Rupp
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Sage. Turkey. Gravy. Together, a combination that winningly evokes memories of home-cooked meals.

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Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes With Caramelized Shallots
Credit: Mikkel Vang
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In the realm of comfort food, what is more quintessential than mashed potatoes? These are made extra-rich with butter, cream, and buttermilk.

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    1 of 31 Grandma Pie With Pepperoni and Pink Sauce
    2 of 31 Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Harissa and Chickpeas
    3 of 31 Decadent Mac and Cheese
    4 of 31 Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon
    5 of 31 Green Curry Noodle Bowls with Tofu
    6 of 31 Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde
    7 of 31 Chicken and Vegetable Potpie
    8 of 31 Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower
    9 of 31 Meat Loaf With Bacon
    10 of 31 Baked-Potato Eggs
    11 of 31 Creamed Spinach
    12 of 31 Chowder
    13 of 31 Beef Stew
    14 of 31 Drunken Cheesy Bread
    15 of 31 Seafood Gumbo
    16 of 31 Pizza Margherita
    17 of 31 Burgers
    18 of 31 Stuffing
    19 of 31 Three-Cheese Calzone
    20 of 31 Lamb Chops
    21 of 31 Corn Chowder
    22 of 31 Pot Roast
    23 of 31 Mashed Sweet Potatoes
    24 of 31 Chili
    25 of 31 Corn Spoon Bread
    26 of 31 Baked Beans
    27 of 31 Crispy Chicken and Greens
    28 of 31 Beef Stroganoff
    29 of 31 Roast Beef
    30 of 31 Turkey and Gravy
    31 of 31 Mashed Potatoes

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