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  5. 20 Easy Comfort Food Dinners That Are Like a Warm Hug

20 Easy Comfort Food Dinners That Are Like a Warm Hug

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins October 28, 2021
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We love a dinner that packs in maximum comfort with minimal effort—which is why these comfort food recipes take just 25 minutes or less to prep. With everything from casserole to pasta and chili on the menu, this mix of healthy dinners is sure to satisfy your craving for something cozy and warm. Recipes like our American Goulash and One-Pot Beans & Rice with Corn & Salsa are so fresh and flavorful, you'll want to enjoy them nonstop.

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Roasted Root Vegetables with Goat Cheese Polenta

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This is true healthy comfort food--a bowl of soft, creamy polenta topped with warm roasted vegetables infused with garlic and sage.

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American Goulash

American Goulash
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American goulash, also known as old-fashioned goulash, is the perfect economical family meal. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so this satisfying dish can cook in just one pot.

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One-Pot Beans & Rice with Corn & Salsa

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This one-pot dinner is like a deconstructed burrito bowl--especially when topped with salsa, sliced avocado or a dollop of Greek yogurt for a cool, creamy accent. You can also enjoy it as a meal on its own, or as a vegetarian taco or burrito filling or a side dish on taco night.

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EatingWell's Eggplant Parmesan

EatingWell's Eggplant Parmesan
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Here we bake breaded eggplant for crispy results with fewer calories to boot. This makeover of the classic recipe was originally developed by our Test Kitchen in 1995 and got an update in 2020 for our 30th anniversary issue.

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One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta

One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta
Credit: Victor Protasio
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Make this cheesy ground chicken pasta recipe for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve with a simple side salad and a glass of red wine.

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Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet
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You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.

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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

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Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
Credit: Leslie Grow | Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
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Maya Feller, M.S., RD, CDN, of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition, upgrades this popular budget-friendly combo. "Adding veggies to a classic sandwich—in this case, broccoli, zucchini and red bell pepper—boosts the nutrient-density of the meal," she says. This recipe was part of a feature story, "The Real Cost of Healthy Food."

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Greek Tuna Casserole

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Tuna casserole is a timeless comfort-food recipe; this one incorporates eggplant, artichoke hearts, oregano, olives and feta cheese for a Greek flair.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta
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This rustic stew cooks all day in the slow cooker so you can come home to a comforting, hot dinner. Not a fan of polenta? Try this healthy chicken dinner over pasta instead.

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Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

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Taco Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

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Revamp traditional shepherd's pie with this Tex-Mex take on the classic comfort food with taco seasoning, black beans and a little jalapeño. The flavor- and veggie-packed filling gets topped with cilantro-lime sweet potatoes for a satisfying and healthy dinner recipe.

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Creamy Mushroom, Chicken & Asparagus Bake

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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.

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Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili

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Grab your crock pot for this delicious and easy slow-cooker vegetarian chili with beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet potatoes. The recipe requires just 20 minutes of active time: after a bit of chopping, you just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do the work. Adding a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro just before serving brightens up the flavors. Top it with some shredded cheese, if you'd like, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan. Either way, this healthy chili is sure to become a go-to when you want a satisfying and healthy dinner.

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Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
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Stuffing is not just for Thanksgiving with this easy chicken and stuffing casserole. And speaking of Thanksgiving, if you have leftover turkey, feel free to substitute it for the chicken in this comforting and healthy recipe. It's also a great use for extra carrots, celery, onions and day-old bread you might have on hand around the holidays. There's no boxed stuffing mix or canned soup in this lighter take on the comfort-food casserole, but it's still super-easy to make. Poultry seasoning helps humble bread to taste like stuffing, while thickened chicken broth takes the place of canned soup. There are plenty of veggies in this one, too, making this a healthy casserole you can feel good about serving year-round.

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Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

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Think of this vegetarian enchilada casserole as a veggie-packed Mexican lasagna with corn tortillas standing in for the noodles! If your peppers are mild and you like heat, opt for spicy pico de gallo. This easy vegetarian dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.

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Spinach, Feta & Rice Casserole

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This one-pan recipe is the casserole version of spanakopita! It's hearty enough to enjoy as a vegetarian lunch or dinner, yet versatile enough to serve alongside just about any protein. To make it extra creamy, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream.

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BBQ Pork & Smoked Gouda Quesadillas

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These satisfying quesadillas get a smoky flavor from the cheese and pork, sweetness from the sauce, and a crisp crunch from the red onion. The pickled jalapeños offer a twist on a typical barbecue sandwich pickle and add a touch of heat.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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This rich, yet healthy, white chicken chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.

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By Leah Goggins

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    1 of 20 Roasted Root Vegetables with Goat Cheese Polenta
    2 of 20 American Goulash
    3 of 20 One-Pot Beans & Rice with Corn & Salsa
    4 of 20 EatingWell's Eggplant Parmesan
    5 of 20 One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta
    6 of 20 Black Bean Fajita Skillet
    7 of 20 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
    8 of 20 Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
    9 of 20 Greek Tuna Casserole
    10 of 20 Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta
    11 of 20 Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
    12 of 20 Taco Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
    13 of 20 Creamy Mushroom, Chicken & Asparagus Bake
    14 of 20 Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili
    15 of 20 Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
    16 of 20 Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
    17 of 20 Spinach, Feta & Rice Casserole
    18 of 20 BBQ Pork & Smoked Gouda Quesadillas
    19 of 20 Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
    20 of 20 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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