40 Healthy Comfort Food Recipes That Satisfy
Updated: Sep. 21, 2023
These quick comfort food recipes make it easy to eat healthily. Take your pick from these hearty main dishes and sides that are loaded with flavor. Round out your menu with our healthy appetizers and light dessert recipes.
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Spaghetti Squash Meatball Casserole
One of our favorite comfort-food dinners is spaghetti and meatballs. We’re crazy about this lighter, healthier version that features so many veggies. It has the same beloved flavors with more nutritious ingredients! —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
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Potato-Topped Ground Beef Skillet
Compared to other ground beef skillet recipes, the depth of flavor in this recipe is amazing, and I never have leftovers when I take it to potlucks. I love recipes that I can cook and serve in the same skillet. Bonus points if they’re healthy, too. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
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Spinach Quesadillas
My family gave these cheesy quesadillas oohs and aahs. Remove the spinach from the heat as soon as it wilts so it keeps a little bit of crunch. —Pam Kaiser, Mansfield, Missouri
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Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Toss
No matter how you toss ’em up, shrimp and thyme play nicely with any fresh veggie. This healthy pasta is sure to satisfy. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Barley Beef Skillet
Even my 3-year-old loves this family-favorite beef barley skillet. It’s very filling, inexpensive and packed with veggies. It’s also really good spiced up with chili powder, cayenne or a dash of Tabasco. —Kit Tunstall, Boise, Idaho
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Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
My whole family enjoys this sweet potato black bean chili, but my daughter especially loves it. I like to make it because it’s so easy, comforting and flavorful. —Joy Pendley, Ortonville, Michigan
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Grandma’s Potato Salad
Our Fourth of July feast wouldn’t be complete without this chilled old-fashioned potato salad. It’s my grandma’s treasured recipe. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
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Air-Fryer Breaded Pork Chops
Instant mashed potatoes and bread crumbs have a similar texture, so I wondered how the combo would taste on air-fryer thin pork chops. This is now the only way we make pork chops in our house! It’ll be your new favorite comfort-food recipe. —Carrie Farias, Oak Ridge, New Jersey
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The Best Beef Stew
Our stew has tons of flavor thanks to the herbs, red wine and balsamic vinegar. You won’t believe it’s healthy. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Ranch Pork Roast
We created this light and simple pork roast with a mild rub that’s perfect for new cooks. The leftover meat is tender and flavorful enough to be used in countless recipes. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Moroccan Chickpea Stew
This spicy stew is healthy and delicious. You’ll be thrilled with the abundance of squash, potatoes, tomatoes and onion. —Cindy Beberman, Orland Park, Illinois
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Golden Clam Chowder
This is healthy comfort food at its best! Yes, you can have a warm bowl of homemade clam chowder for dinner tonight or any night. The soup is seasoned expertly and thyme adds a great dimension of flavor. —Amanda Bowyer, Caldwell, Idaho
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Easy Vegetable Lasagna
Bursting with garden favorites, this lasagna is a vegetable lover's dream. The pasta layers are generously stuffed with roasted zucchini, mushrooms, peppers and onion in homemade tomato sauce. —Susanne Ebersol, Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania
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Slow-Cooked Coffee Beef Roast
Coffee is the key to a flavorful beef roast that simmers in the slow cooker until it’s fall-apart tender. Try it once and I’m sure you’ll cook it again. —Charles Trahan, San Dimas, California
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Mixed Veggies and Rice
To add variety to sides for those who don’t care for potatoes, I came up with this colorful dish that’s healthy, too. It’s an easy slow-cooker recipe that you can put right onto the buffet table. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida
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Pumpkin Lasagna
I especially like this comforting fall dish because it's vegetarian. Even friends who aren't big fans of pumpkin are surprised by this delectable lasagna. Canned pumpkin and no-cook noodles make it a cinch to prepare. —Tamara Huron, New Market, Alabama
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Colcannon Potatoes
Every Irish family has its own colcannon recipe, since it’s a classic potato and cabbage dish. My recipe comes from my father’s family in Ireland. —Marilou Robinson, Portland, Oregon
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Southwest Vegetarian Bake
This healthy veggie-packed casserole hits the spot on chilly nights. It’s a healthy canned vegetable recipe that’s perfect anytime I have a taste for Mexican food with all the fixings. —Patricia Gale, Monticello, Illinois
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Easy White Chicken Chili
Chili is one of our best cold-weather strategies. We use chicken and white beans for a twist on the regular bowl of red. It’s soothing comfort food. —Rachel Lewis, Danville, Virginia
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De-Lightful Tuna Casserole
This mild, homemade tuna casserole will truly satisfy your family's craving for comfort food without all the fat! —Colleen Willey, Hamburg, New York
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Spinach and Artichoke Pizza
My from-scratch pizza has a whole wheat crust flavored with beer. Top it with spinach, artichoke hearts and tomatoes, then add chicken or ham and fresh basil if you want to include meat. —Raymonde Bourgeois, Swastika, Ontario
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Rich Baked Spaghetti
It takes a little longer to make baked spaghetti, but the difference in taste, texture and richness is well worth the time. I serve this lasagna-style dish with a tossed green salad and breadsticks for a hearty, healthy meal. —Betty Rabe, Mahtomedi, Minnesota
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Black Bean Turkey Chili
This busy-day chili is packed with flavor and nutrition! We make it ahead and freeze some to eat later. —Marisela Segovia, Miami, Florida
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Basil Vegetable Strata
I've been cooking this strata for years, and my family just can't get enough! Fresh basil gives the healthy brunch dish an added flavor boost. —Jean Ecos, Hartland, Wisconsin.
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Creamy Braised Chicken
A smooth, delicate cream sauce gives a special taste to these tender chicken breasts accompanied by pearl onions and sauteed mushrooms. This dish is so rich-tasting, you'll want to serve it to company. —Margaret Haugh Heilman, Houston, Texas
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Zucchini Crust Pizza
My mother-in-law shared the recipe for this unique pizza with me. It's just right for brunch, lunch or a light supper. Loosen the nutritious zucchini crust from the pan with a metal spatula. —Ruth Denomme, Englehart, Ontario
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Weeknight Pasta Squiggles
This zesty pasta dish is ideal for busy weeknights. It contains just a few ingredients, is easy to prep, and tastes so comforting when the weather turns cool. A salad on the side makes this healthy pasta recipe a meal. —Stacey Brown, Spring, Texas
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Onion Potato Pancakes
When Grandma prepared potato pancakes, she used an old-fashioned grater, great for potatoes but not for knuckles! With homemade applesauce, this sauce, this side dish complements a meal so well. I made these pancakes for my family and often served them as a main dish for light suppers.
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Weeknight Ravioli Lasagna
My husband and I love lasagna, but it's time-consuming to build and we always end up with too much. Using frozen ravioli fixes the problem! —Pamela Nicholson, Festus, Missouri
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Rosemary Butternut Squash Lasagna
I came up with this recipe when our garden was brimming with butternut squash. This is now our favorite way to use it. —Christine Wood, Tipton, Iowa
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Fresh Corn and Tomato Fettuccine
This recipe combines delicious whole wheat pasta with fresh garden produce. It's tossed with heart-healthy olive oil, and a sprinkling of feta cheese gives it bite. —Angela Spengler, Tampa, Florida
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Chicken and Dumplings
Perfect for chilly winter nights, this main course is speedy, low in fat and a delicious one-dish meal. —Nancy Tuck, Elk Falls, Kansas
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Beef & Spinach Lo Mein
If you like a good stir-fry, this beef and spinach lo mein will definitely satisfy. I discovered the recipe at an international luncheon, and it's now a favorite go-to meal. —Denise Patterson, Bainbridge, Ohio
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Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa
A few people in my family have special dietary needs, but luckily, these chicken tacos work for all of us. I toss up a simple green salad and have a meal we can all enjoy together. —Christine Schenher, Exeter, California
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Shrimp Orzo with Feta
Tender, hearty and flavorful, this recipe is one of my favorites! Garlic and a splash of lemon add to the fresh taste and heart-healthy benefits of shrimp. —Sarah Hummel, Moon Township, Pennsylvania
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Skillet Beef Tamales
I found something similar to this years ago and have recently added my own spin. Here’s the outcome: an easy, cheesy meal your family can't get enough of. We don't have to tell them it's healthy. —Deborah Williams, Peoria, Arizona
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BLT Skillet
This quick weeknight meal reminds me of a BLT, with its chunks of bacon and tomato. The whole wheat linguine gives the skillet dish extra flavor and texture. —Edrie O'Brien, Denver, Colorado
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Spaghetti Meatball Supper
It was such a joy to come home and find my mom making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. This recipe has always been dear to my heart. —Debbie Heggie, Laramie, Wyoming
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Vegetarian Black Bean Pasta
This black bean pasta was something I created as a teenager, back when I was a vegetarian. Now that my daughter doesn't eat meat, she asks for this dinner several times a week. —Ashlynn Azar, Beaverton, Oregon
Originally Published: July 15, 2018
