A cozy meal makes life so much better. And when it’s made with pantry ingredients for simplicity? Sounds like a winner to us! These comfort food recipes feature pantry staples like pasta, whole grains, jarred sauces and canned beans and soups. Options like our Chicken-Potpie Twice-Baked Potatoes and Creamy White Chili with Sweet Potatoes & White Beans are perfect for settling in for a cozy evening at home with a comforting meal to end the day.
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Chicken-Potpie Twice-Baked Potatoes
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Sally McKay, Prop Stylist Hannah Greenwood
These chicken-potpie twice-baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, combining the best of two classics into one delicious dish. Each bite offers the cozy flavors of chicken potpie nestled inside a perfectly baked potato for a warm, satisfying meal that’s perfect for when you need a little extra comfort on your plate.
Vegetarian No-Chicken and Dumplings
Aaron Kirk
This vegetarian version of chicken and dumplings tastes a lot like a comforting pot pie filling with dumplings in it. And although this soup is low in calories and fat, it’s surprisingly hearty.
Creamy White Chili with Sweet Potatoes & White Beans
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Sally McKay, Prop Stylist Hannah Greenwood
A bowl of creamy white chili with sweet potatoes is the perfect comfort food to warm you from the inside out. This hearty plant-based dish blends white beans and the subtle sweetness of sweet potatoes in a rich, flavorful broth. A can of chopped green chiles adds to the warmth. If you like your chili on the mild side, opt for mild green chiles.
Creamy Mushroom, Chicken & Asparagus Bake
This comforting weeknight casserole recipe features plenty of mushrooms and asparagus combined with chicken and brown rice and a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. Whip this up anytime you have leftover chicken or cooked brown rice to spare.
Cheesy Beef & Black Bean Skillet Casserole
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Think of this creamy skillet casserole as a one-pan taco. The corn tortillas crisp up under the broiler, adding crunch to go with the creamy filling. If you enjoy a bit of spiciness, opt for hot salsa or chipotle salsa for some smoky undertones. Tomatillo salsa works well, too, adding tang and a fresh flavor to this easy skillet dinner.
Pesto Tuna Noodle Casserole
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl
A creamy pesto sauce with sweet shallots and wilted spinach gives a light and bright spin to classic tuna noodle casserole. Albacore tuna is an ideal choice, as it holds its texture well once mixed in, although any water-packed tuna will do the job. For the best results, we recommend using refrigerated pesto for its fresh flavor, which enhances the overall dish.
Slow-Cooker Three-Bean Chili Mac
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
Chili meets mac and cheese in this fix-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker dinner. Hot tomato sauce, a Mexican canned tomato sauce that also includes spices and chiles for heat, kicks up the flavor.
Kale, Wild Rice & Chicken Stew
Chicken thighs get perfectly tender in just a few hours in the slow cooker. Plus, cooking everything together low and slow infuses all the flavors together for complexity in every bite.
Cheeseburger Casserole
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
If you love a classic cheeseburger with all the fixings, you’ll love this family-friendly cheeseburger casserole. Rotini pasta picks up all the flavors of this comforting dish, but any shape pasta you have in your pantry will work well. We love the crunch shredded fresh lettuce offers, but feel free to mix it up with another green like spinach or kale, or top your casserole with Swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms for a different spin.
Skillet Chicken Potpie
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.
Vegan Quinoa Chili
Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin
This light but filling vegan quinoa chili is packed with fresh veggies, with quinoa and black beans adding protein and fiber. Complete this easy one-pot dinner with vegan cheese, dairy-free yogurt or your favorite chili toppings.
Skillet Chili Mac
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.
Pressure-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
This easy soup flavored with chili powder and a splash of lime is quick enough to prepare for a warming weeknight meal thanks to an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot. Lean chicken breast is easy to prep, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs would make a great substitute.
Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
Jason Donnelly
If you like Buffalo wings, you’ll love the flavors in this warm, hearty chili that comes together easily in the slow cooker. Sour cream helps cut the heat, but you could also use plain strained yogurt.
Tuna Casserole with Orzo, Eggplant & Feta
Tuna casserole is a timeless comfort-food recipe; this one incorporates eggplant, artichoke hearts, oregano, olives and feta cheese for a Greek-inspired flair.
Cheesy Chipotle-Cauliflower Mac
You’ll barely notice the cauliflower in this comforting skillet pasta—it’s pureed and mixed into the creamy cheese sauce.
Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Sue Mitchell
This one-pan chicken and broccoli casserole is prepared in a skillet on the stovetop, then finished in the oven until it’s browned, cheesy and bubbling. Serve with a crunchy green salad.
Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup
Jazz up a can of black bean soup with your favorite nacho toppings, such as cheese, avocado and fresh tomatoes. A bit of smoked paprika adds a bold flavor kick, but you can swap in any warm spices you prefer, such as cumin or chili powder. Look for a soup that contains no more than 450 mg sodium per serving.
White Chicken Chili With Avocado Cream
EatingWell
Oven-roasting fresh chile peppers builds complexity in this white bean chili. A combination of diced chicken and ground pork amps up meaty flavor, and half-and-half and a creamy avocado topping make the broth velvety smooth.
Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup with Soft-Boiled Eggs
Transform canned chicken noodle soup by adding fresh ginger, crunchy vegetables, herbs and a jammy soft-boiled egg. Look for a low-sodium soup that has 450 mg sodium or less per serving.
