Familiar, filling dishes can make an ordinary meal feel like part of the season. These 13 comfort food picks span breakfast, dinner, and sides, with casseroles, soups, stews, pancakes, and more. Some come together in under an hour, while the slow cooker options need a longer stretch, so there is something for both busy nights and slower days.
Sausage, Spinach and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Golden edges and a tender center make Sausage, Spinach and Egg Breakfast Casserole a hearty start to a chilly morning. Breakfast sausage, eggs, heavy cream, spinach, and cheddar bake together in a dish that can be assembled ahead. It takes 40 minutes and serves six. Slice it into squares for brunch, or pair a piece with toast and fruit for a filling family breakfast.
Get the Recipe: Sausage, Spinach and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Ham & Cheese Puffs
Flaky little bites with a savory center make Ham & Cheese Puffs easy to serve at brunch, as a snack, or alongside soup. Chopped deli ham, onion, Swiss cheese, egg, and Dijon mustard are wrapped in refrigerated crescent dough. The batch takes 25 minutes and yields 24 puffs. Their small size makes it simple to set a few out for guests or add them to a relaxed weekend meal.
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Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Crunchy, deeply golden coating gives Buttermilk Fried Chicken its classic place at a comfort food dinner. Chicken drumsticks soak in buttermilk before they are coated with flour, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, then fried until crisp. Total time is 45 minutes, and the recipe serves six. Bring it to the table with potatoes or a fresh salad for a familiar meal that works any time of year.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Yellow Bean & Potato Salad
Cool, colorful, and hearty enough to share, Yellow Bean & Potato Salad brings potatoes and tender yellow beans together with celery, red bell pepper, green onion, and a tangy dressing. It takes 20 minutes and makes six servings. Serve it beside fried chicken or another main, or set it out for a casual lunch. The mix of crisp vegetables and soft potatoes gives each forkful a little contrast.
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Smoked Brisket Chili
Smoky flavor and a thick, spoonable texture make Smoked Brisket Chili a natural choice for a cool evening. The pot combines smoked brisket with tomatoes, beef broth, dark beer, beans, onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chili spices. It takes 1 hour and 15 minutes and serves eight. Set out bowls with cornbread or toppings for a filling dinner that can feed a table of family or friends.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Brisket Chili
Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken
Slow cooker time lets the flavors settle into Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken, a useful main for evenings when dinner can cook ahead. Chicken breast simmers with onion, gravy mix, ranch seasoning, pepperoncini, their pickling liquid, and butter. It takes 4 hours and 10 minutes and serves six. Shred or portion the chicken and serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or rolls for an easy family meal.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken
Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
Silky texture and a mellow orange color put Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin right at home on a fall lunch or dinner menu. Canned pumpkin simmers with onion, garlic, vegetable or chicken stock, cream, and warm spices; toasted pepitas make an optional topping. It takes 30 minutes and serves four. Pair it with crusty bread or a sandwich for an uncomplicated meal on a chilly day.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
A bubbling casserole turns familiar chicken cordon bleu flavors into an easy dish to portion at the table. Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole combines pasta, cooked chicken, ham, peas, a creamy Swiss or Jarlsberg sauce, and a breadcrumb topping. It takes 45 minutes and serves six. Bake it for a family dinner when you want a hearty main that can be scooped into bowls without assembling individual rolls.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Pumpkin Waffles
Crisp edges with a soft middle make Pumpkin Waffles a welcome breakfast on a cool morning. Pumpkin puree, milk, butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda make a warmly spiced batter. The recipe takes 28 minutes and serves six. Stack them with maple syrup for a weekend breakfast, or freeze extras so a seasonal meal is easy to bring back another day.
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Homestyle Hamburger Stew
Deep bowls of Homestyle Hamburger Stew bring a full, familiar dinner with ground beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes, beef broth, peas, and corn. The stew takes 1 hour and 5 minutes and serves eight. Let it simmer while you set the table, then ladle it into bowls for a substantial meal that needs little alongside it beyond bread or crackers.
Get the Recipe: Homestyle Hamburger Stew
Mississippi Meatballs
Tender meatballs with a tangy, savory sauce make Mississippi Meatballs a substantial dinner or a shareable party dish. Ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, and milk form the meatballs, while au jus and ranch seasonings, pepperoncini, and butter flavor the slow-cooker sauce. They take 4 hours and 10 minutes and serve six. Serve them over noodles or potatoes for a sit-down meal, or offer them with toothpicks for a casual spread.
Get the Recipe: Mississippi Meatballs
Bacon Pancakes
Sweet-and-savory breakfasts come together in Bacon Pancakes, where crisp bacon meets fluffy pancakes with maple syrup on the side. The batter uses flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, buttermilk, eggs, and butter, with bacon cooked into the batter. Total time is 40 minutes, and it serves six. Make a stack for a relaxed weekend morning when a warm, filling breakfast is worth lingering over.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Pancakes
Creamy Vegetable Chowder
Thick, creamy broth and chunks of vegetables give Creamy Vegetable Chowder the feel of a full meal in a bowl. Potatoes, broccoli, onion, carrots, and celery simmer in vegetable broth, then milk, butter, flour, and cheddar create the creamy base. It takes 35 minutes and serves six. Ladle it out with bread for a simple dinner that works well when the weather turns cool.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Vegetable Chowder