Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 34 Simple and Delicious Comfort Food Recipes Feeling stressed? Come and eat, honey. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Phoebe Fry Updated on December 16, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree Cozy season has arrived, which means it’s time to cook up some comfort food. During these chilly months, we prefer warming, hearty meals like pizzas, soups, and braises. It doesn’t have to be loaded with butter and cream to be comfort food (although we love butter and cream!); comfort food is whatever makes you feel nourished and happy.From mac and cheese to pot pie and lentil soup, this recipe roundup covers all the comfort food bases and has something for everyone. Here, our top 34 hand-picked recipes to warm your hearts and bellies this season. 12 Winter Soups You Can Make With 10 Ingredients or Less 01 of 34 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 pressure. Serve over pappardelle, polenta, or whichever grain you prefer. get the recipe 02 of 34 Shrimp and Brown Butter Grits Antonis Achilleos As far as we’re concerned, brown butter makes everything better, and the same is true for shrimp and grits—a comforting classic. With grape tomatoes and smoked paprika, this version of shrimp and grits tastes both bright and rich. get the recipe 03 of 34 Creamy One-Pot Mashed Potatoes Greg DuPree Our go-to mashed potato recipe comes together in a single pot with no fuss. Half-and-half, sour cream, and butter give the mash a creamy, luxurious finish. get the recipe 04 of 34 Grandma Pie With Pepperoni and Pink Sauce Greg DuPree 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. Get the Recipe 05 of 34 Decadent Mac and Cheese Jen Causey Three types of cheese—Gruyère, cheddar, and American—get added to this decadent macaroni and cheese recipe, making it the ultimate creamy-dreamy comfort food dish. Instead of béchamel, you'll use a bit of evaporated milk to thicken your mac and cheese. Get the Recipe 06 of 34 Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon Caitlin Bensel 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. Get the recipe 07 of 34 Green Curry Noodle Bowls With Tofu Antonis Achilleos These vibrant, veggie-packed curry tofu noodle bowls will 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, comforting flavors. Best part? In 20 minutes you can have dinner for four on the table. get the recipe 08 of 34 Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde Caitlin Bensel 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've got yourself the ideal one-dish dinner. get the recipe 09 of 34 Chicken and Vegetable Potpie Maria Robledo This potpie'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 you’ll cook until it’s golden and crispy. get the recipe 10 of 34 Macaroni and Cheese With Cauliflower Maria Robledo This twist on mac and cheese contains (don't tell the kids) chopped cauliflower, which adds a nutty essence. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs for a nice crunch. get the recipe 11 of 34 Parmesan Meatloaf David Prince Meatloaf can get a bad rap, but this one is tender and rich, and only requires a handful of ingredients. Look for high-quality ground beef with a higher fat percentage to prevent dryness. Get the recipe 12 of 34 Baked-Potato Eggs William Meppem 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. get the recipe 13 of 34 Spanakopita Creamed Spinach Jennifer Causey This recipe takes cues from a classic Greek appetizer and an old-school American side. The result is a cheesy, flavorful spinach dish that pairs well alongside any protein, from grilled lamb chops to baked white fish. get the recipe 14 of 34 Smoky Corn Chowder Con Poulos 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. get the recipe 15 of 34 Slow-Cooker Classic Beef Stew Susie Cushner A savory combination of beef, red wine, and thyme makes this dish worth the wait. The hands-on time for this recipe is very minimal; you just need to allot enough time to let the slow cooker work its magic. get the recipe 16 of 34 Drunken Cheesy Bread Marcus Nilsson This one-pot casserole looks a bit wild, but the combination of Gruyère and ham is scrumptious. We love serving this cheesy skillet alongside some tomato soup. get the recipe 17 of 34 Gochujang Gumbo Hector Manuel Sanchez Gumbo is a Creole soup from Louisiana, and this untraditional variation includes gochujang—a spicy-sweet Korean chili paste. Top with sliced scallions and minced red Fresno chiles for even more flavor. get the recipe 18 of 34 Pizza Margherita Maria Robleda 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. get the recipe 19 of 34 Turkey Burgers With Lime Mayo Greg DuPree These turkey burgers are super flavorful thanks to onion and chili powder. Layered with bright ingredients like lime mayonnaise, lettuce, and avocado, the burgers are balanced and satisfying. get the recipe How to Cook Hamburgers 5 Different Ways—Including Grilled, Broiled, and More 20 of 34 Sausage and Sage Stuffing Grant Cornett 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 feel. get the recipe 21 of 34 Three-Cheese Calzone Kan Kanbayashi Three cheeses―Parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta―melt together in this oozy delight. Pre-made pizza dough makes at-home calzones a breeze. get the recipe 22 of 34 Lamb Chops With Charred Asparagus Caitlin Bensel 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. get the recipe 23 of 34 Gabriella’s Pot Roast Caitlin Bensel Embrace your inner Italian with this warm, comforting pot roast. Two hours of gentle simmering results in tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef. get the recipe 24 of 34 Cheesy Roasted Sweet Potatoes Marcus Nilsson 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. get the recipe 25 of 34 Chili for a Crowd Rob Howard This hearty, lager-spiked chili is the ideal dish to serve to a crowd of people. Full of beef, peppers, and beans, it’s flavorful and filling, and everyone can add whatever toppings they’d like. get the recipe 26 of 34 Corn Spoon Bread Sang An Pair that chili with corn spoon bread. Otherwise, it’s good enough to eat by itself, baked until golden and warm from the oven. get the recipe 27 of 34 Cheesy Baked Beans and Tomatoes Victor Protasio 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. get the recipe 28 of 34 Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Artichoke Dressing Greg DuPree What would a comfort food recipe roundup be without fried chicken? These chicken cutlets are weeknight friendly, and easy to make at home. The artichoke dressing offers a bright, briny component to the meal. get the recipe 29 of 34 Quick Beef Stroganoff Kana Okada With this recipe, you’ll be able to 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 with any kind of noodle. get the recipe 30 of 34 Roast Beef Con Poulos 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. get the recipe 31 of 34 Smoky Maple Turkey Victor Protasio 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. get the recipe 32 of 34 Savory Baked Feta Heami Lee 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. get the recipe 20+ Cheese Types You Should Know—and What to Pair Them With 33 of 34 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. get the recipe 34 of 34 Charred Broccoli Rabe Pizza Jennifer Causey Hear us out: bitter broccoli rabe on pizza, with a healthy drizzle of hot honey. The combination of bitter and sweet, with plenty of melted mozzarella, is a total game changer. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit