25 Quick and Easy Comfort Food Recipes

By

Melanie Fincher

Published on October 30, 2020

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll — Photo: Lucy Di Giacomo Lombardi

Sweater weather? More like sweatpants season. These recipes are for those days when you want a big bowl of comfort without all the effort. And if you're like me, that probably sounds like most days. All of these recipes are ready in under an hour, and require minimal prep work — no extravagant ingredient lists here. Just simple, comfort in a bowl (or on a plate). From steamy soups to hearty casseroles, here are 25 quick and easy comfort food recipes that will hit the spot.

01 of 25

Chicken Milano

Make restaurant-quality pasta in just 30 minutes. Sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, fresh basil, and fettuccine are tossed in a creamy white sauce. Take it from reviewer naples34102 who says, "This will be added to my list of restaurant quality dishes. The sauce is creamy and velvety delicious and the whole dish makes for a beautiful presentation on the plate."

02 of 25

Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup — Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup. fabeveryday

As the name suggests, this simple soup is made with just six canned ingredients. "This recipe is so quick, easy, and cheap...just open the cans and boil. I only spent about $10.00 on ingredients," says reviewer Rolanda.

03 of 25

Taco Pie

Taco Pie — Shalaine_1

Shortcut ingredients like refrigerated crescent rolls make this six-ingredient pie quick and easy.

04 of 25

Easy Tuna Casserole

Serving of tuna macaroni casserole with peas and a crispy cheesy topping — Melissa Goff

Tuna casserole is a classic comfort-food dish, and this version requires just five ingredients: macaroni, canned tuna, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese, and French-fried onions.

05 of 25

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll — Lucy Di Giacomo Lombardi

Take the work out of cabbage rolls by serving them "unstuffed." Reviewer memekitty says, "Unstuffed cabbage roll, genius. I tried this recipe, and it essentially mimics any cabbage roll filling."

06 of 25

Simple Hamburger Stroganoff

hamburger stroganoff — Melissa Goff

Skip the expense and preparation of beef tips or steak, and opt for ground beef in your stroganoff next time. This recipe is so creamy, rich, and filling, no one will ever know the difference.

07 of 25

Broccoli, Rice, Cheese, and Chicken Casserole

Broccoli, rice, chicken, and cheese casserole up close on red plate — Sharon Embry

I don't know about you, but I think broccoli, chicken, and rice casserole should be the first line of defense against the winter blues. It's familiar, filling, and so easy to make.

08 of 25

Suzy's Mashed Red Potatoes

plate of mashed red potatoes — ttv78

Red potatoes add a whole new level of flavor to mashed potatoes. The best part? No peeling required! The red-potato skins add texture and nutrition to these fluffy potatoes.

09 of 25

Frogmore Stew

Also known as a Lowcountry boil, Frogmore Stew is the original one-pot dinner. Simply throw all your ingredients in a large stock pot, boil, and let folks dig in. Reviewer Bcrumley describes it as, "Easy to prepare and feeds many people."

10 of 25

Classic Hash Browns

Shredded potato hashbrowns on a square white plate — Chef John's Classic Hash Browns. Baking Nana

Get classic, diner-style hash browns without ever leaving your home when you follow Chef John's technique. "The timing was perfect. It resulted in crispy outsides and soft tender insides," says reviewer Love2Cook.

11 of 25

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

Syracuse Salt Potatoes close up with green garnish — My Hot Southern Mess

Not familiar with this regional delicacy? "Salt potatoes are a regional specialty of Syracuse, New York, a.k.a. The Salt City," says Chef John. "Salt potatoes date to the 1800s, invented by local salt mine workers who created a simple and inexpensive lunch by boiling small potatoes in brine."

12 of 25

Hearty Chicken and Rice Soup

Hearty Chicken and Rice Soup — jlyvoit

Comfort food doesn't have to be unhealthy. This hearty chicken soup is loaded with fresh veggies. "Quick and easy, perfect for when everyone starts getting the colds and the weather starts to turn yucky," says reviewer SusieHomemaker.

13 of 25

Chef John's BLT Pasta

Chef John's BLT Pasta — fabeverydayblog

"If you can't decide whether to make a BLT sandwich or a pasta, now you can do both. The combination of bacon, lettuce, and tomato has a proven track record of deliciousness," says Chef John.

14 of 25

Mom's Potato Latkes

Mom's Potato Latkes served with applesauce on the side — Holiday Baker

Latkes aren't just for Hanukkah. Everything about these potato pancakes scream comfort.

15 of 25

Potato Crunchy Tenders

Potato Crunchy Tenders — Soup Loving Nicole

Instant mashed potatoes make up the breading for these delicious chicken tenders that are sure to be well received by kids and adults alike. They get high praise from reviewer Paula H who says, "Just tried these for the first time, they are possibly the best chicken tenders I have ever made."

16 of 25

Cherry Tomato Sauce with Penne

Cherry Tomato Sauce with Penne in a white bowl on a black and white gingham table cloth — Chef John

Turn cherry tomatoes into a homemade pasta sauce that will dress up any type of pasta. Be sure to freeze the leftovers like reviewer Soups Ahoy who says, "This is an amazing recipe and freezes great!"

17 of 25

Chef John's Corned Beef Hash

Chef John's Corned Beef Hash — Jennifer Baker

Turn corned beef and cabbage leftovers into the most marvelous leftover dish: corned beef hash. Reviewer Jennifer Baker suggests using red potatoes so no peeling is required.

18 of 25

Instant Pot Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Instant Pot® Spicy Butternut Squash Soup in a white bowl — Fioa

This simple soup is full of fall flavor — it includes butternut squash, brown sugar, ginger, and curry powder. "It was a cold afternoon and went well with a bit of bread on the side," says reviewer dbanethacker.

19 of 25

Cheater Baked Ziti

This recipe takes a few shortcuts without sacrificing flavor by using ziti pasta, hot Italian sausage, jarred spaghetti sauce, jarred Alfredo sauce, and shredded Italian cheese. Reviewer novaluno describes it best: "A triumph for lazy people everywhere!"

20 of 25

Memphis BBQ Pork Totchos

Memphis BBQ Pork Totchos — Allrecipes Magazine

Memphis barbeque meets South-of-the-Border flavor in this simple recipe. Layers of tater tots are topped with cheese, pulled pork, onion, jalapeño, barbeque sauce, and broiled. Top it all off with a healthy helping of coleslaw.

21 of 25

Easy Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole

cheesy casserole in ceramic baking dish — thedailygourmet

More cheese please! Mac and cheese meets tuna casserole in this bubbly, cheesy dish.

22 of 25

Breakfast for Dinner Casserole

Breakfast for Dinner Casserole — Chef Mo

Breakfast for dinner is one of life's simple pleasures. The whole family will love this breakfast casserole, and it sneaks in quite a few veggies (but the picky eaters won't even notice).

23 of 25

Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella

an oval baking dish holding prepared potato gnocchi in tomato sauce with melted fresh mozzarella and fresh basil — Kim's Cooking Now

Recipe creator saretta says, "Known as 'gnocchi alla sorrentina,' this is a classic Italian pasta dish that uses simple ingredients and tastes delicious. Use homemade or store-bought gnocchi."

24 of 25

Divine French Fries

Divine French Fries — naples34102

Before you head to the drive-thru to satisfy your fried-food cravings, consider making these homemade, baked fries. They have far fewer calories, and the truffle oil takes them to the next level.

25 of 25

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

baked macaroni and cheese in glass casserole dish — Anne Jordan

This list wouldn't be complete without homemade, baked macaroni and cheese. Reviewer MommaBean3 says, "This is definitely a crowd pleaser at my house! Thank you for an easy yummy recipe!"

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