Had a bad day? Feeling under the weather? Missing home? We’ve ALL been there. What you need is a little comfort food. We’ve got everything from classics like meatloaf and casseroles to cold weather favorites like chili and soup, and lots in between (like the Internet-famous baked feta pasta). We’ve even got some recipes you can make in one of your trusty kitchen appliances, like your air fryer or Instant Pot (comfort is practically synonymous with convenience in our book). Check out our 75 comfort food recipes for ideas—they’re sure to soothe your soul and nourish your body.
When it comes to comfort food, it’s really all about personal preference. Some of these recipes will speak to you, and some won’t—that’s okay! That said, there are a few tried and true shortcuts to that perfect warm and cozy feeling that comfort food should bring. The first is obvious—if you’re looking to feel all warm and cozy, go for foods that are (literally!) served piping hot, like soups and stews. We’ve included some of our favorites, like our lasagna soup, our white bean chicken chili, our beef stew, or our chicken matzo ball soup, but really, any will work. Weight of the world got you down? Making foods you loved as a kid can help remind you of simpler times and help take the edge off, if even just over dinner. Try our stovetop mac & cheese, our goulash, our sloppy Joes, or our copycat Hamburger Helper—we bet you’ll feel a little more relaxed in no time.
Want more comfort food ideas? Check out our favorite slow-cooker recipes, our top pasta recipes, and our favorite desserts too (sometimes all you need is a little sweet treat to pick up your mood!).
Chicken Pot Pie
Truly comfort food at its finest, chicken pot pie represents the addictive marriage of a flaky, buttery crust with diced chicken, onions, carrots, and peas in a creamy sauce. While it's a dish that you can easily find pre-made in almost any grocery freezer aisle, we strongly believe that making your own is worth it.
Get the Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
Classic Meatloaf
Meatloaf is an old-school recipe that everyone should know how to make. It might not be the sexiest piece of food, but beauty is in the eye of the behold and damn, is it comforting—especially in a sandwich the next day OR with a fried egg on top.
Get the Classic Meatloaf recipe.
Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup
Cozy and nourishing, we crave matzo ball soup pretty much year-round. Although schmaltz (AKA chicken fat) and chicken broth are typically included in this classic Ashkenazi Jewish soup, it’s not hard to swap in vegetarian-friendly ingredients.
Get the Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup recipe.
Copycat Hamburger Helper
Though we went above and beyond by making fresh pasta and grinding our own meat here, Hamburger Helper is all about the convenience, so you can easily swap in store-bought pasta (pick a shape that will really hug the sauce) and pre-ground beef.
Get the Copycat Hamburger Helper recipe.
Beef Stew
Beef stew is a comfort food essential. It's a perfect meal all on its own, but we also love beef stew served over some al dente egg noodles. Want something a little heartier? Try ladling a bit of stew over some garlic mash.
Get the Beef Stew recipe.
Southern Baked Mac & Cheese
Chef Millie Peartree's baked mac & cheese is famous for many reasons, the top of which is that she puts an ENTIRE layer of extra cheese in between two layers of (already cheesy) macaroni. Game. Changer.
Get the Southern Baked Mac & Cheese recipe.
Sloppy Joes
This homemade sloppy Joe recipe is the ultimate comforting weeknight win. Particularly if you find yourself asking, how far can I stretch this package of ground beef? Six servings, one skillet, and it’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Get the Sloppy Joes recipe.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
If you're looking for a super-simple, comforting, no-frills bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, you've come to the right place. And if you're feeling adventurous, it's also a great jumping-off point to make your own version of this classic dish!
Get the Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe.
Cheesy Baked Burritos
The exact origin story of the wonderful and beloved Mexican burrito is unknown, but it's believed to have first appeared on an American restaurant menu at El Cholo Spanish Cafe in LA during the 1930s. Today, it takes many forms—from egg-filled breakfast burritos to deep-fried burritos (aka chimichangas) to smothered, "wet burritos." This is the latter.
Get the Cheesy Baked Burritos recipe.
Chicken & Waffles
Making fried chicken and waffles at the same time is quite a feat, but this soul food classic is worth the effort. We think the best course of action is to get your chicken in a buttermilk brine, whip up your waffles and pop 'em in a 200° oven to stay warm. THEN take out your chicken, bread, and fry.
Get the Chicken & Waffles recipe.
Tater Tot Casserole
This casserole is a total guilty pleasure. If you're trying to lighten it up, ground turkey or chicken would be a delicious swap out for the beef. If green veggies are more your thing (we're impressed!), top the casserole with zucchini tater tots in place of the potato variety.
Get the Tater Tot Casserole recipe.
French Onion Soup
Our recipe is special for two reasons: Firstly, we use white wine or sherry instead of red wine, and secondly, we use a combo of chicken stock and beef stock. Nothing beats the warm comfort of caramelized onions, toasty bread, and melty Gruyère.
Get the French Onion Soup recipe.
Perfect Buttered Noodles
Buttered noodles are the perfectly simple and always comforting dish of our childhood that we never grew out of. For those nights when you need something fast and have no time or energy to cook, keep it a relaxed affair: A bowl of these noodles will feed you in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
Get the Perfect Buttered Noodles recipe.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
You know what’s great? Mashed potatoes. You know what’s even better? Roasted garlic mashed potatoes! That extra-savory flavor from melty, roasted garlic adds the perfect kick to classic mashed spuds. (We also add a splash of tangy balsamic vinegar to kick them up a notch.)
Get the Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe.
Classic Lasagna
We took a couple shortcuts for this recipe by using store-bought marinara and boxed pasta sheets. Trust us, it saves a ton of time without sacrificing any flavor.
Get the Classic Lasagna recipe.
Massaman Curry
A fusion between Thai, Indian, and Malaysian cuisines, this mildly sweet curry features tender braised beef, potatoes, and onions simmered in a richly spiced, aromatic coconut broth. Served over rice, there’s nothing more satisfying and delicious.
Get the Massaman Curry recipe.
Green Bean Casserole
For this recipe, we ditched the canned cream of mushroom soup, and went for fresh instead. By sautéing mushrooms with thinly sliced onion in butter, you're building a base with some serious depth of flavor. Cook the mushrooms enough that they get a little caramelized, and you'll really be good to go.
Get the Green Bean Casserole recipe.
Classic Cheeseburger
There are about a million ways to top a hamburger, and we're not here to tell you what goes onto your patty. It is our duty to make sure that you're cooking burgers as best as you possibly can. Our golden rules: Be sure to let the meat come to room temperature and season generously with salt and pepper before you grill up.
Get the Classic Cheeseburger recipe.
One-Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac
Looking for a hearty, comforting weeknight dinner? Our smoky vegetarian chili mac is here to save the day! It all comes together in one pot, and it's SUPER versatile. Throw in your favorite bean and pasta shape, melt in your favorite cheese, and top with whatever you like, as long as it's crunchy.
Get the One-Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac recipe.
Loco Moco
This Hawaiian comfort food dish represents the greatest parts of breakfast, lunch, and dinner—it’s generally a pile of rice with a hamburger smothered in brown gravy, all topped off with a fried egg.
Get the Loco Moco recipe.
