25 Comfort Food Recipes For When You Need a Giant Hug (2024)

Whether it's been a rainy day or a long week at work, these comfort food recipes are here for you. Classic dishes like Mac & Cheese and Skillet Ravioli Lasagna are cheesy and delicious. Meanwhile desserts like Mug Brownie and EatingWell's Chocolate Chip Cookies are ooey, gooey and full of chocolate. So when you need a dish that'll leave you feeling warm and full, these recipes are the ultimate comfort.

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Basic Whole Roast Chicken

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This roasted chicken recipe may be the most useful recipe you'll ever find. It's a meal on its own or the start of any recipe that calls for cooked chicken--perfect for meal-prepping lunches or dinners to have throughout the week. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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What could be more satisfying than mashed potatoes? In this garlic mashed potato recipe, the potatoes are flavored with poached garlic, thinned with chicken stock and enriched with a small amount of sour cream. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you're cooking for a crowd--say for Thanksgiving dinner. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Holiday Issue 1995

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Mug Brownie

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You might want to keep a copy of this recipe in the pantry beside the cocoa for those moments when you crave a chocolaty treat. Cook this fudgy brownie in a mug in the microwave and it's ready in less than a minute! Source: EatingWell.com, March 2018

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Mom's Chili

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This healthy basic beef chili recipe is well worth doubling so you can throw a batch in the freezer. Serve topped with diced red onion, sliced scallions, shredded cheese and your favorite hot sauce. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2016

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Classic Mac & Cheese

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No sneaky ingredients here, just delicious comfort food. You can enjoy this super-cheesy mac and cheese in the same time it takes to cook the boxed version. Whole-wheat noodles add fiber, while sharp Cheddar adds richness. A hefty twist of black pepper balances the cheese's salty tang. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2018

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Skillet Chicken Potpie

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A store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner recipe is comfort food at its best. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Egg, Hash Brown & Bacon Breakfast Skillet

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This breakfast skillet is reminiscent of the hashbrown bowl at Waffle House. It's filling and tastes decadent, but is still a pretty low-calorie breakfast. Be sure to use a large skillet because although it may seem too big for the amount of ingredients, you need the surface area to get your potatoes crispy (overcrowding your skillet will just steam them). Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

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This rich-tasting but better-for-you creamy chicken soup has a delicious chicken pot pie feel to it. We call for rotisserie chicken to streamline your prep time--look for a nice big one with lots of breast meat on it. Pair this comforting and easy soup recipe with a green salad, or, if you're really hungry, a grilled cheese sandwich. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Skillet Chili Mac

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Poblanos add a kick of heat to this chili mac recipe. If that's not your thing, swap in green bell peppers to tone down the heat in this easy pasta dish, which mashes up mac and cheese and chili into a seriously satisfying skillet dinner. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019

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Chickpea & Potato Curry

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This fast Indian-style curry comes together with ingredients you most likely have on hand, like frozen peas and canned tomatoes and chickpeas. Plus, using these spices shows how simple it is to make a curry sauce for an easy vegetarian recipe. Serve with whole-wheat naan to sop it all up. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November 2019

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Slow-Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

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What's not to love about this easy dump-and-go slow cooker recipe? It has potatoes and ooey-gooey cheese, all combined with a can of condensed cream of chicken soup! Whip up this kid-friendly side dish anytime you have a crowd to feed. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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EatingWell's Died-and-Went-to-Heaven Chocolate Cake

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This foolproof cake is one of our most popular recipes. Dutch-process cocoa is preferred here for its deep chocolate flavor. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 1995

Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings

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Forget the fryer--these baked garlic-Parmesan chicken wings get a crispy coating (without tons of oil) from panko breadcrumbs combined with grated Parmesan cheese. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze gives this healthy appetizer a sweet and tangy finishing note. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

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This easy inside-out ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food--no layering or mixing bowls required. Feel free to swap in ground turkey for the beef. Look for fresh mozzarella balls (also called "pearls") in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup

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This healthy loaded baked potato soup recipe is inspired by the comforting flavor of fully loaded baked potatoes with bacon, Cheddar, sour cream and chives. To make a vegetarian version of this potato soup, omit the bacon and use "no-chicken" broth. Serve it with a green salad and crusty bread to clean up the bowl. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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Cinnamon-Sugar Dusted Apple Cider Donuts

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Fluffy and light with a warm cinnamon flavor, you'll be craving these homemeade donuts (with a hot cup of coffee) all fall! Because apple cider can be harder to find year-round, take advantage of when it's "in season." Don't forget to make a few extra batches and freeze the donuts to enjoy when cider isn't available. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Roasted Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

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The classic lunch of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich gets an upgrade with roasted tomatoes and fresh herbs in the soup, and a warm grilled sandwich with two kinds of cheese. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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EatingWell Chocolate Chip Cookies

This awesome lacy chocolate chip cookie is given a healthful makeover with oats and whole-wheat flour, and canola oil to replace some of the butter.

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Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

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This healthy Buffalo chicken dip is one quick appetizer to remember for your next Super Bowl party. A simple mixture of reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat cream cheese is baked with shredded chicken breast and the classic spicy-tangy hot sauce with a crumble of blue cheese on top. It's perfect for heaping onto celery and carrot sticks or any other crispy vegetable. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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One-Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta

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This chicken Parmesan pasta uses the one-pot pasta method to cook your noodles, chicken and sauce all in one skillet for a fast and easy dinner with minimal cleanup. Finish the dish under the broiler to achieve a delicious melted cheese crust. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2018

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Bacon & Egg Breakfast Tacos

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Breakfast tacos are quintessential morning eats in Austin, but with this breakfast taco recipe you can enjoy them wherever you are. The smoky, earthy ancho chile salsa is what makes these extra-special, though for a quicker weekday breakfast, feel free to swap in your favorite store-bought salsa. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2019

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Oven-Baked Curly Fries

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These oven fries crisp up without the greasy mess of deep-frying. Plus they're a bit easier and faster to make than traditional hand-cut fries thanks to the quick work of the spiralizer. Just watch the thickness: cut too thin, the fries will burn easily. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2018

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Old-Fashioned Meatloaf

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Mushrooms, garlic and oats sneak some extra nutrients into this hearty and easy meatloaf. Serve with sweet potatoes and your favorite green vegetables for a super-satisfying comfort food dinner. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

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Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Here we take all the warm, delicious flavors of cinnamon buns and roll them into a cake smothered with a sweet cream cheese frosting. It's best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. Source: EatingWell.com, March 2018