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30+ Simple and Delicious Comfort Food Recipes

30+ Simple and Delicious Comfort Food Recipes

By Betty Gold

Updated October 09, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

Antonis Achilleos

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30+ Simple and Delicious Comfort Food Recipes

1 of 31

Grandma Pie With Pepperoni and Pink Sauce

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Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Harissa and Chickpeas

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Decadent Mac and Cheese

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Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon

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Green Curry Noodle Bowls with Tofu

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Chicken Enchiladas in Salsa Verde

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Chicken and Vegetable Potpie

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Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower

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Meat Loaf With Bacon

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Baked-Potato Eggs

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Creamed Spinach

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Chowder

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Beef Stew

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Drunken Cheesy Bread

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Seafood Gumbo

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Pizza Margherita

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Burgers

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Stuffing

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Three-Cheese Calzone

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Lamb Chops

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Corn Chowder

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Pot Roast

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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Chili

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Corn Spoon Bread

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Baked Beans