Comfort Food Dinner Recipes

January 01, 2012
Photo: Con Poulos
Meant for cozy suppers on any day of the week, these crowd-pleasing entrées are likely to bring back delicious memories. Indulge in a gooey deep-dish pizza, or gather the family for a homey meat loaf meal.
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Our Favorite Dinner Comfort Food

Photo: Randy Mayor

Nothing quite compares to the comforting abilities of a piping hot dinner pulled from the oven after a long day or the soothing effects of a steaming bowl of soup to warm you from the inside out. We've gathered a few of our favorite comfort food dinner recipes that we are sure will become comfort classics in your home too—if they're not already!

This generous serving of soup is chock-full of vegetables and is hearty enough to be a complete meal.

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Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie

Romulo Yanes
View Recipe: Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie

To keep things lightning-fast, we forgo the layered-in-a-skillet approach to shepherd's pie and instead serve the veggie-flecked beef mixture on top of a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.

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Italian Beef Stew

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Italian Beef Stew

Bites of meat cook low and slow with hearty vegetables, bubbling away until the flavors meld and the meat gains a buttery texture.

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Chicken Stroganoff

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken Stroganoff

If stroganoff could restore its Russian creators 200 years ago, this chicken version will restore you on any winter weeknight.

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

A bubbling hot casserole is the quintessential comfort food. They are welcome at just about every occasion. And talk about convenient: Most of the prep can be done in advance. This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is no exception. Prep ahead and bake when you're ready to eat.

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Skillet Chicken and Root Vegetable Potpie

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Skillet Chicken and Root Vegetable Potpie

Classic potpies use several pans to simmer and sauté vegetables, build a sauce, and bake the pie. The skillet does it all here, and it is the perfect size for a golden, flaky piecrust lid. No chicken collection is complete without a potpie. You can substitute diced Yukon Gold potatoes and kale or chard for the turnips and turnip greens.

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Tuna Noodle Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Tuna Noodle Casserole

Although the recipe calls for egg noodles, you can use any short pasta to make this retro comfort food dish.

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Forager's Pie

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Forager's Pie

The addition of mushrooms—what a forager might find—makes for a delicious twist on classic shepherd's pie.

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Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

A low-country classic comfort food is now a beloved meal all over the country, regardless of geographic location. This meal comes together in 30 minutes.

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Chicken and Butternut Gnocchi

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken and Butternut Gnocchi

Gnocchi are the base for a simple toss with sweet butternut squash, rich chicken thighs, spinach, and sage. Prepared gnocchi is a fast cook’s dream. They don’t need to be boiled separately, take on a beautiful sear, and will hold up after a thorough sauté and simmer with other ingredients. A dollop of prepared pesto binds and brightens the dish. Look for prepeeled and cubed butternut squash to save even more time. Instead of spinach, you could also try tender baby kale. For a bit of heat, add 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper to the pan before you simmer the squash.

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Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese

Photo: Romulo Yanes
View Recipe: Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese

Dress up classic macaroni and cheese with applewood-smoked bacon, chicken, and Ranch dressing-inspired seasonings for a delicious twist on this classic dish.

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Italian-Seasoned Roast Chicken Breasts

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Italian-Seasoned Roast Chicken Breasts

Lean breast meat needs to be shielded as it cooks, so leave the skin on. Serve with steamed spinach and mashed potatoes.

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Spiced Meatball, Butternut, and Tomato Stew

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Spiced Meatball, Butternut, and Tomato Stew

Add this comforting, 35-minute stew to your winter recipe rotation. These tender meatballs have a mild, warm spice. Chopped cilantro at the end adds a nice burst of freshness. You can substitute ground chicken, if desired.

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Pan-Fried Chicken

Photo: Becky-Luigart Stayner
View Recipe: Pan-Fried Chicken

Pan-fried chicken is a healthy alternative to traditional fried chicken. Replacing some of the salt with spices like ginger, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg reduces the amount of sodium and pumps up the flavor.

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Beef Pot Roast with Turnip Greens

Photography: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Beef Pot Roast with Turnip Greens

Cipollini onions are small, flat Italian onions. If you can't find them, substitute pearl onions. Other large full-flavored greens like mustard greens or kale will work, as well. Slow cookers promise easy prep, but achieving delicious, picture-perfect comfort food results relies on heeding three principles: Don't skip the browning step; use a cautious hand with added liquid; and, finally, let the slow cooker do its work slowly.

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Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Substitute mozzarella or provolone for white cheddar, if you prefer. Serve with steamed fresh broccoli spears and mashed potatoes. Make sandwiches with leftover meat loaf; serve on an onion roll.

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Beer-Braised Beef with Onion, Carrot, and Turnips

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Beer-Braised Beef with Onion, Carrot, and Turnips

Ask your butcher to cut a 1-pound roast for you, or buy a larger one (especially if it's on sale) and freeze the rest for later. Use a dark beef that's not too strong and it will balance the sweet root vegetables.

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Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Looking for a satisfying dinner that will leave you feeling warmed from the inside out? Look no further. For a pop of freshness, sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

 

 

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Green Chile Chili

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Green Chile Chili

This hearty meal is also easy on your budget. You can make it for less than $10. Serve with warm corn bread or muffins. Leftovers are also good reheated the next day.

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Eggplant Parmesan

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

Traditional eggplant Parmesan packs the calories. We remade the recipe using whole-wheat panko; the regular type became soggy in a test. It barely browns but creates a perfectly crisp coating.

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Pork Posole

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Pork Posole

Fragrant spices infuse this stew with extra warmth. Originating in Mexico's Pacific Coast region, this soup is a Christmas tradition, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying a bowlful year-round.

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Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

Avocado cream provides a cooling counterpoint to the spicy ancho chicken in this recipe. We love what the cilantro slaw does to the texture of the dish.

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Stir-Fried Beef with Broccoli

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Stir-Fried Beef with Broccoli

Our recipe has a fraction of the sodium and fat found in the typical takeout version. We guarantee, this healthier version is just as crave-worthy.

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Lemon Chicken Piccata

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Lemon Chicken Piccata

Briny capers and bright lemon really make this bird sing. Serve this tangy chicken with mashed potatoes or roasted seasonal root vegetables to make an even more comforting plate.

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Pasta Puttanesca

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Pasta Puttanesca

Anchovy paste in a tube is convenient if you don't have fillets. Try 2 teaspoons in place of fillets in this dish. Serve with a salad of green leaf lettuce, red onion, and fresh parsley, dressed with 1 tablespoon olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

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Pepperoni Deep-Dish Pizza

Photo: Romulo Yanes
View Recipe: Pepperoni Deep-Dish Pizza

This Chicago-style classic features pepperoni, America's favorite pizza topping. Quick tip: Refrigerate leftover

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Stilton Burgers

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Stilton Burgers

Golden, sweet sautéed onions and pungent crumbled Stilton cheese top lean sirloin burgers on toasted French rolls for a simple, easy-to-make burger with big flavor.

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Garlicky Leg of Lamb with Yogurt Sauce

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Garlicky Leg of Lamb with Yogurt Sauce

Place the leg of lamb on a rack in a heavy roasting pan so air circulates and it browns and cooks evenly. The tangy yogurt sauce is the perfect finishing touch to the delicious lamb.

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Chicken-Matzo Ball Soup

Photo: Con Poulos
View Recipe: Chicken-Matzo Ball Soup

For a shortcut version of this recipe, use store-bought, unsalted chicken stock instead of making your own. (Adapted from a recipe from

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Gnocchi with Browned Butter

Photo: Con Poulos
View Recipe: Gnocchi with Browned Butter

This healthy adaptation of gnocchi is served in a rich browned butter sauce and topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and toasted walnuts.

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Dak Bokkeum with Spinach (Korean Stewed Chicken with Spinach)

Photo: Con Poulos
View Recipe: Dak Bokkeum with Spinach (Korean Stewed Chicken with Spinach)

Gochujang is an indispensable Korean sauce based on fermented soybeans and chiles. You'll find it in Asian markets, or seek out Annie Chun's brand, which is more widely available.

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Lebanese Peppers

Photo: Con Poulos
View Recipe: Lebanese Peppers

The Lebanese often use ground lamb, but our version calls for ground beef, and the grains are precooked to ensure there are no crunchy bits in the flavorful meat mixture.

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