22 Classic Comfort Food Recipes, Plus 6 Vegan Comfort Foods

Comfort food is an umbrella term for recipes you remember fondly from your childhood, recipes passed down over generations, and cultural staples. Comfort food invokes feelings of nostalgia and well-being. These warm fuzzy feelings are often evoked by high-carb, high-calorie foods. Comfort foods are crowd-pleasing appetizers, mains, and sides designed to leave you and your guests feeling full and satisfied.

Consider one of these comfort food recipes the next time you’re planning a holiday meal or looking for cozy winter dinner ideas.

1. 1. Chicken pot pie: Pot pie is a savory dish of meat and vegetables cooked in a deep dish covered with a single pie crust. Pot pie lacks a bottom crust, so you can make it in any oven-safe dish or small pot—hence the name. Although a pot pie can have any savory filling, chicken is one of the best-loved pot pie fillings.
2. 2. Fried chicken: Early in his career, Chef Thomas Keller found that fried chicken had fallen out of favor in many kitchens. Today, it’s back in fashion, and a mainstay at many top restaurants around the country. This version of the dish is the same fried chicken served every other Monday at Chef Keller’s restaurant Ad Hoc in Yountville, California.
3. 3. Meatloaf: Meatloaf is a baked dish with a ground meat base that’s often served in the shape of a bread loaf. While many classic meatloaf recipes use lean ground beef as their central ingredient, you can use ground pork or ground turkey. Making use of a meat mixture rather than just one kind of meat is also fairly common.
4. 4. Lasagna: Lasagna is a traditional Italian main dish consisting of alternating layers of long, flat pasta noodles, tomato or cream sauce, and cheese (typically mozzarella, parmesan, or ricotta, or a combination of all three). Lasagna may also include layers of sautéed vegetables or ground meat, like beef or lamb. The pasta is boiled before assembly, and then the entire dish is cooked further in the oven.
5. 5. Mexican chicken soup: Next time you’re craving chicken noodle soup, try this classic Mexican chicken soup recipe instead. Caldo de pollo is Mexican chicken soup. It starts with a flavorful chicken broth (the word “caldo” means broth) that is topped with pieces of chicken and veggies, such as zucchini, chayote, radishes, and avocado. Caldo de pollo is often served with fresh cilantro on top and lime wedges on the side.
6. 6. Creamy butternut squash bisque: Learn how to make butternut squash bisque, a velvety, decadent butternut squash soup. This vegetarian soup is the ultimate weeknight comfort food. Butternut bisque is a creamy winter squash soup that pairs nutty, fragrant butternut squash with heavy cream. Butternut squash is high in fiber, potassium, manganese, and antioxidants. It also has an extremely high vitamin A content, as well as loads of vitamin C. Butternut squash is the perfect filling and warming vegetable to have at your dinner table all winter long.
7. 7. Beef stew: Beef stew is a comfort food staple consisting of beef cooked with vegetables and aromatics in a flavorful broth. You can make beef stew with tougher cuts of beef, like beef chuck, which becomes tender with prolonged cooking. Beef stew can taste even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld.
8. 8. Cornbread: Cornbread is a quick bread containing cornmeal. It is popular in Southern cooking and enjoyed by many people for its tender, crumbly texture and sweet aroma. This dish was originally made by Indigenous Americans who had been using ground corn (maize) for thousands of years. Southern cornbread has traditionally been made with little to no sugar and a higher cornmeal-to-flour ratio, while Northern-style cornbread is sweeter and more cake-like.
9. 9. Slow cooker pot roast: Pot roast is a classic comfort food and the ultimate way to feed a crowd. Simply add all the ingredients to a slow cooker or Crockpot for an easy weeknight dinner. Pot roast is a cheap, lean cut of beef which is first browned in a skillet then stewed in a pot or slow-cooker with vegetables and broth. Pot roast generally cooks, or braises, for hours, until the tough meat becomes fall-apart tender, savory, and moist. Mashed potatoes are a classic pot roast side dish.
10. 10. Au gratin potatoes: Recipes for au gratin potatoes (or potatoes au gratin) combine layers of sliced potatoes and cheese in a baked casserole dish, sometimes with a breadcrumb topping for a contrasting crunch. People often compare and contrast au gratin potatoes with another classic potato side dish, scalloped potatoes. While both are rich and creamy potato dishes that reheat well, au gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas scalloped potatoes contain a simple, creamy sauce.
11. 11. Italian carbonara: Spaghetti alla carbonara is an Italian pasta dish made with egg, cheese, and crispy pork belly. To make it, combine al dente pasta with raw egg yolks, grated cheese, and a little reserved pasta water to make a sauce that coats the hot pasta strands as it cooks. The addition of tiny cubes of guanciale, or cured pork jowl, adds a crispy pop of flavor. Unlike pasta Alfredo, carbonara does not incorporate heavy cream—the creaminess comes from the emulsion of egg yolks with cheese and starchy pasta water. Authentic carbonara must be made quickly, so although it only has a few ingredients, timing is everything.
12. 12. Miso ramen: Miso ramen is a Japanese noodle soup flavored with a paste made from fermented soybeans. Miso is one of three types of tare (seasoning) used to flavor ramen broth in Japan—the other two are shio (salt) and shoyu (soy sauce). Miso is a popular additive for vegetarian and vegan ramen broths since it adds umami flavor without animal products.
13. 13. Homemade ravioli: Homemade ravioli is among the greatest comfort foods in the history of Italian cuisine. The classic dish is easily customizable and perfect for a weeknight dinner. Ravioli are a style of Italian pasta, typically featuring a cheesy filling encased in a thin envelope of pasta dough. Ravioli have been a staple of Italian cuisine since the fourteenth century and were enjoyed by the aristocracy and the working class alike. Ravioli dough can be cut in various shapes, like squares, crescents (mezzalune), or circles. You can also customize ravioli by size, like ravioletti, a bite-size portion, or raviolo al’ uovo, a larger style featuring a single egg yolk nestled inside. Ravioli are typically served in a broth or sauce or with a drizzle of brown butter or olive oil.
14. 14. Polish dumplings: Pierogi (singular pieróg) are boiled semicircular dumplings made from a chewy wheat-based dough that encases a variety of savory and sweet fillings. For the ultmate Polish comfort food, try filing pierogi with ground beef and onions, mashed potatoes, or steamed lentils. After boiling, pierogi are often pan-fried in butter until crispy, then drizzled with extra butter. They're excellent when dipped in sour cream.
15. 15. Fettuccine Alfredo: Alfredo sauce is an Italian-American pasta sauce that typically includes parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and butter. It is traditionally served with fettuccine pasta. Though Alfredo pasta typically pairs best with mild proteins (grilled chicken Alfredo, shrimp Alfredo), it is delightful with dark green veggies like kale and broccoli, whose bitterness balances the richness of the cream sauce. Sauté chopped vegetables separately in olive oil, then combine them with pasta and sauce.
16. 16. Swedish meatballs: Homemade Swedish meatballs are a classic comfort food. Köttbulle are Swedish meatballs made from ground beef (and sometimes ground pork) combined with milk-soaked breadcrumbs, onions, and beef broth. The best Swedish meatballs are small, about one inch in diameter. Traditionally cooked over an open fire, Swedish meatballs are now most often fried in a large skillet. They’re great as a main and can also be served as an appetizer.
17. 17. Sheet pan pork chops: Pork chops are one of the easiest proteins to prepare for a simple weeknight meal. The chop is cut from the spine of the pig and contains part of the rib meat and often the bone. While pork chops are a lean cut of meat, bone-in pork chops can be very flavorful and tender—when prepared properly. Oven-baked pork chops are great when served simply with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
18. 18. Homemade buttermilk biscuits: Homemade buttermilk biscuits are the ultimate comfort food side dish and a great way to load up on the carbs. On the US side of the pond, biscuits are a variety of quick bread made from flour, butter, salt, and a liquid dairy like milk or buttermilk. They get their signature puff from two leaveners: baking powder and baking soda. They can be tender (more muffin-like in consistency) or flaky (with doughy layers); savory (with the addition of cheddar cheese) or sweet (with a hint of sugar).
19. 19. Shredded chicken tinga tacos: In the city of Puebla, the popular tinga taco, or stew taco, is often made from chicken braised in a mild chipotle-tomato sauce seasoned with garlic and a bit of piloncillo, or raw cane sugar. The meat is shredded, served in a tortilla, and topped with chopped onion, cilantro, and lime. Use whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts and simmer until cooked through and tender. Alternatively, use leftover cooked chicken, such as a rotisserie chicken.
20. 20. Chicken tikka masala: This classic Indian comfort food is a creamy chicken curry dish beloved around the world. The word tikka means “bits” or pieces, and refers to the bite-sized cuts of boneless, skinless chicken thighs used in the dish. Serve with a side of basmati rice or naan bread.
21. 21. Chicken enchiladas: Chicken enchiladas are one of the most popular staples of Mexican cuisine. The easy recipe features flavors the whole family will love, and you can make it for a quick weeknight dinner using leftover chicken and a homemade enchilada sauce.
22. 22. Green bean casserole: Green bean casserole is a classic casserole recipe that heavily features green beans alongside other savory ingredients, such as onions and cream of mushroom soup. It's one of the best comfort food recipes to prepare for holiday meals. Serve alongside sweet potatoes or au gratin potatoes, and don't forget the crunchy fried onions on top.

Consider trying one of these vegan spins on classic comfort food dishes.

1. 1. Vegan mashed potatoes: Learn how to make vegan mashed potatoes, a gluten-free and dairy-free version of the classic comfort food side dish. Vegan mashed potatoes are a dairy-free variation on classic mashed potatoes. Recipes for vegan mashed potatoes rely on plant-based substitutions—like vegan butter and dairy-free milks—instead of butter, cheese, sour cream, or milk to achieve a traditionally creamy buttery texture.
2. 2. Vegan lasagna: Vegan lasagna is a dairy-free, meat-free version of one of the most beloved Italian-American comfort foods. This particular dish incorporates layers of wide noodles, tomato sauce, and a plant-based creamy cheese that will satisfy vegans and non-vegans alike. Make vegan lasagna your own by adding veggies such as sautéed zucchini and fresh spinach or meatless proteins like cooked lentils or tempeh.
3. 3. Vegan macaroni and cheese: This vegan mac and cheese recipe features a decadent, dairy-free cream sauce. This pasta dish relies on various ingredients to evoke the flavors—and real cheese taste—of the original, which typically features a velvety béchamel sauce and a blend of rich cheeses. If you consume egg-based pasta, you can make this variation with regular macaroni, but egg-free pasta, like gluten-free chickpea pasta, is most commonly used to make this dish.
4. 4. Vegan bolognese: It might be hard for some to imagine bolognese, the classic meat sauce from Bologna, without the meat and dairy. But with a few clever substitutions, it can be done. To make a meatless bolognese, you'll need to substitute not only the meat, but the milk and parmesan cheese that typically go into this pasta sauce. The results are a delicious, meat-free alternative to this classic Italian comfort food.
5. 5. Vegan tomato soup: Learn how to make a creamy tomato soup without dairy. Vegan tomato soup can last for two to four days in the refrigerator or freeze for two to six months. A grilled cheese sandwich is the classic accompaniment to tomato soup, but if you're dairy-free, try rubbing a piece of toast with a peeled garlic clove, then drizzling it with olive oil.
6. 6. Vegan mushroom soup: Learn how to make vegan mushroom soup, a dairy-free version of the classic dish with a few ingredient swaps. Mushroom soup, also known as cream of mushroom soup, is a soup that typically features a roux, heavy cream, mushrooms, and chicken broth. To make vegan mushroom soup, swap the dairy with a non-dairy milk, like cashew milk, coconut milk, or coconut cream, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

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