When I’m in need of a heartwarming meal, I have my favorite dinners to make when I’m craving comfort food. The 27 recipes here are easy to prepare, saving you time in the kitchen so you can enjoy your meal sooner. They’ve become my reliable choices for satisfying dinners that don’t require hours to make. Most are also one-pot or one-pan dishes, cutting down on cleanup time. Best of all, these recipes make good use of everyday pantry staples, so you’re likely already equipped to make most of them.
Creamy Italian Sausage Soup
This 30-minute soup combines Italian sausage, cream cheese, canned tomatoes, and heavy cream. It’s an ideal choice for weeknights when you’re short on time. With just one pot needed, cleanup is a breeze. The soup offers a rich and complex flavor profile despite its quick cooking time. The creaminess and meatiness of the dish make it a filling and comforting meal.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Italian Sausage Soup
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
This dish utilizes boneless skinless chicken thighs, heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s a quick and high-quality dinner option. You’ll find the sauce to be perfectly rich, creamy, and flavorful. The dish is versatile enough for both weeknight dinners and special occasions. The one-pan approach minimizes cleanup while maximizing flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
This one-pan, 30-minute meal consists of chicken and a luscious mushroom sauce. Preparing this dish is straightforward, making it perfect for those busy evenings. The mushroom sauce enriches the chicken, elevating the entire dish. Cleanup is easy with only one pan to wash. The result is a comforting and savory dinner that satisfies without complexity.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Creamy Dijon Chicken
In just 30 minutes, this one-pan dish offers seasoned chicken with a creamy Dijon mustard sauce, fresh spinach, and crumbled bacon. The sauce harmonizes well with the chicken, creating a well-balanced meal. The addition of spinach adds a nutritional punch. Cleanup is quick and easy because it’s all cooked in one pan. It’s a warm, comforting dinner that won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dijon Chicken
Roasted Cubed Butternut Squash with Cauliflower and Bacon
This dish combines butternut squash, cauliflower, and bacon in a 30-minute oven bake. The vegetables and bacon work harmoniously to offer a comforting and fulfilling meal. Spinach and a simple homemade dressing perfectly round out the dish’s flavors. This recipe is great for those looking for a hearty, oven-baked dinner. The one-tray design makes for easy cleanup.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cubed Butternut Squash with Cauliflower and Bacon
Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts
This 30-minute recipe features skinless chicken thighs enveloped in a smooth sauce made with artichokes and lemon juice. Its preparation is straightforward, making it a convenient weeknight option. The artichokes add a unique texture and flavor to the dish. Despite its simple components, the meal feels sophisticated and hearty. Cleanup is minimal, adding to its appeal for busy evenings.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts
Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
This 30-minute recipe involves roasting sausage and vegetables on a single sheet pan. It’s a quick and practical choice for a weekday dinner. The blend of meat and veggies ensures a balanced meal. Cleanup is streamlined thanks to the one-pan design. The final dish offers a comfort-food experience with a variety of textures and flavors.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
This 30-minute recipe combines broccoli, cauliflower, a creamy cheese sauce, and bacon. It’s a straightforward yet effective way to produce a hearty and comforting dinner. The various elements work in harmony, providing a well-rounded meal. Even with its multiple components, the dish is relatively easy to prepare. Cleanup is also simplified, as the casserole is baked in a single dish.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole
In under an hour, you can have a casserole that includes shredded chicken thighs, bacon, cream cheese, and jalapeños. The creaminess of the cheese balances the spicy kick from the jalapeños. Baking the ingredients together allows the flavors to meld beautifully. Despite its complexity in taste, the dish is quite easy to assemble. Plus, it’s baked in one dish, making cleanup manageable.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole
Crock Pot Taco Soup
With 20 minutes of prep time, this recipe combines ground beef, spices, and pantry staples in a slow cooker. Once the ingredients are in the pot, the soup essentially cooks itself. This frees up your time while still promising a flavorful and comforting dinner. The spices mingle during the slow cooking, creating a complex flavor profile. Being a crockpot recipe, cleanup is relatively simple.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Taco Soup
Fried Cabbage with Bacon
In just 25 minutes, you’ll make a well-rounded meal featuring cabbage, bacon, and onion. This dinner effortlessly marries various textures and flavors. It’s ideal when you’re strapped for time but still desire a comforting, filling meal. Moreover, it’s a one-pan dish, simplifying cooking and cleaning. The straightforward ingredients mesh well, resulting in a flavorful and impressive meal.
Get the Recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Cauliflower Cheddar Cheese Bacon Soup
Ready in just 30 minutes, this soup features cauliflower, chicken broth, and spices. Butter, heavy cream, and cheese lend the dish its thick, creamy consistency, while a hint of bacon adds a smoky touch. This meal is both practical and comforting, perfect for those days when you need warmth in a bowl. Its simple preparation involves basic cooking techniques, making it accessible for any home cook. The end result is a filling and balanced meal that covers all your comfort food cravings.
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Cheddar Cheese Bacon Soup
Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms
This one-pot dish promises a meal ready in 30 minutes. Combining cauliflower, mushrooms, and a variety of seasonings, the risotto offers a unique spin on comfort food. It is Ideal for family dinners and special occasions but doesn’t sacrifice flavor for speed. The preparation is simple and involves ingredients easily found in your pantry. The culmination of these aspects is a rewarding dinner experience that is both comforting and time-efficient.
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms
Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
In just 30 minutes, this casserole brings together ground beef, cauliflower rice, spinach, and cheddar for a hearty meal. The blend of ingredients offers a well-rounded, comforting dinner. It’s a great option for those evenings when you want something substantial yet quick to prepare. Despite its simplicity, the dish provides a variety of flavors and textures. Cooking and cleanup are also convenient, as everything comes together in a single baking dish.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Prepared in a single skillet and ready in 30 minutes, this dish features ground beef, cheddar cheese, cauliflower rice, and mushrooms. This makes for an uncomplicated yet comforting meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. The combination of meat and vegetables contributes to a balanced, hearty dinner. Cooking in one pan means less time spent on cleanup, making the entire process efficient. With its straightforward preparation, this is a comforting meal you’ll want to make regularly.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
This soup takes only 40 minutes from start to finish and involves a simple four-step process. It serves as a comforting, warm option, especially appealing during the fall season. Practical and easily prepared, the dish requires basic cooking skills and utensils. Simmer, blend, and simmer again—that’s all it takes. The end result is a comforting meal that fills your home with a sense of well-being.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
Spinach Chicken Bake
Requiring just 30 minutes and a single pan, this recipe involves chicken thighs, spinach, cream cheese, and mozzarella. The blend of meat and greens yields a meal that’s comforting yet easy to prepare. It’s especially fitting for busy weeknights when time is of the essence. The straightforward method allows for easy cooking and even easier cleanup. You’re left with a rewarding, comforting dinner that’s sure to please.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Chicken Bake
Cabbage and Sausage
This dish takes under 30 minutes to prepare and is cooked in just one pan. Combining cabbage and sausage, it offers a straightforward yet comforting dinner. Perfect for evenings when simplicity is key, the recipe is easy to follow with a short list of ingredients. The minimal preparation and cooking time make this an accessible option for anyone. As a result, it serves as a reliable go-to meal that ticks all the boxes for comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Sausage
Creamy Garlic Chicken
This dish is prepared in a single pan and features chicken in a garlicky, creamy sauce within 30 minutes. Designed for those nights when you want comfort food without hours in the kitchen, it pairs well with cauliflower rice. It’s not only quick but also easy to prepare. The sauce complements the chicken beautifully, yielding a rich but not overly complicated meal. Finish it off with a green salad for a well-rounded, comforting dinner.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Chicken
Keto Zuppa Toscana
This meal can be prepared in just an hour and features a balanced mix of sausage, radishes, and cream. Despite its quick cooking time, the dish offers a memorable experience, perfect for colder evenings. Its one-pot nature simplifies both preparation and cleaning. The recipe yields a hearty meal that fills you up and warms you from the inside. It’s a comforting dinner option that you’ll find yourself returning to.
Get the Recipe: Keto Zuppa Toscana
Philly Cheese Steak Casserole
In less than an hour, this dish transforms the essence of a Philly Cheese Steak into a comforting casserole. It offers a full range of flavors and textures, featuring sirloin steak, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and provolone cheese. The process is uncomplicated, making it accessible even for those new to cooking casseroles. It is a hearty meal that’s well-suited for any comfort food occasion. This casserole is perfect for weeknight dinners and gatherings, providing a filling and comforting meal.
Get the Recipe: Philly Cheese Steak Casserole
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
This Butter Chicken is ready in under 40 minutes, thanks to the convenience of the Instant Pot. It features a complex blend of flavors and spices, yielding a comforting meal that’s different from the usual fare. The preparation and cooking are made effortless, with the Instant Pot doing most of the work. The dish is quick to make and leaves you with fewer dishes to wash. It’s a comforting and practical meal perfect for busy nights.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Taking just 40 minutes from start to finish, this one-pan dish features chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a creamy sauce. It’s an ideal choice when you’re seeking comfort food but don’t have a lot of time to spare. The variety of ingredients comes together to offer a full-bodied, comforting meal. The one-pan method ensures cooking and cleanup are a breeze. It’s a dish well-suited for both weeknight dinners and occasions where you’d like to impress.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Sweet and Spicy Bacon and Turkey Chili
This one-pot chili recipe is ready in just over an hour and features a unique blend of bacon, turkey, and spices. The dish offers a hearty meal that appeals to sweet and spicy palates. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner when you need something comforting yet simple enough. Cleanup is as straightforward as the cooking process, with all the ingredients cooking in a single pot. The result is a comforting, balanced meal that hits all the right notes.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Bacon and Turkey Chili
Fajita Baked Chicken
You can make this Fajita Baked Chicken in just 30 minutes. Seasoned chicken breasts are topped with a mix of cream cheese, mini sweet peppers, and shredded mozzarella for a full-flavored but straightforward dinner. Baking it in the oven ensures even cooking, so you’re not stuck at the stove. The creamy cheese and seasoned chicken come together in a way that just feels like home. This is the kind of meal that wraps you in comfort after a long day.
Get the Recipe: Fajita Baked Chicken
Sausage Curry
In one pan and less than an hour, you can make a comforting dinner featuring sausages and vegetables in a creamy curry sauce. This dish is a practical choice for weeknight dinners, offering a unique twist to standard sausage meals. It’s simple to prepare yet results in a hearty and comforting dish. Cleanup is also made easy thanks to the one-pan method. It’s a recipe you’ll find yourself eager to revisit.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Curry
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
Inspired by Filipino cuisine, this Instant Pot Chicken Adobo brings comfort in just 40 minutes. The combination of chicken and a sauce rich in sweetness and depth provides the kind of warmth we seek in comfort foods. The Instant Pot ensures a hassle-free cooking experience, letting you focus on enjoying the meal. Adding this dish to your comfort food list is an excellent way to bring some international variety to your menu.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Adobo