When you find yourself in times of trouble, these comfort foods won’t let you down. What’s more, you may discover a new favorite. While some dishes seem to be universally beloved across the country—macaroni and cheese and chicken noodle soup, for example—we’ve found so many others that are unique to their regions. So, we’ve curated this list of recipes with an eye to exposing some of the regional gems that we think are worthy of greater popularity—Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and Slow-Cooker Collard Greens are prime examples. And because the way we cook is constantly shifting, as new ingredients, appliances and trends hit the market, we’ve also added in some new-school version of old favorites—check out the Slow-Cooker Salisbury Meatballs and multicooker Pot Roast. So, wherever you live, from the Atlantic to Pacific, we hope you find some comfort among these recipes.
4.7 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 64 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 25 min
- Total time: 3 hr 5 min
- Ingredients: 10
- Servings: 4
Pillowy homemade biscuits with stewed chicken and vegetables will never go out of style, especially not with this fan-favorite recipe. Don’t wait for company to be coming ‘round the mountain to make this.
4.4 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 141 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 30 min
- Total time: 3 hr 40 min
- Ingredients: 16
- Servings: 8
Whether you grew up eating scratch-made Salisbury steak or the kind from a TV dinner tray, a lot of us recognize this dish as good old-fashioned comfort food. But this slow cooker version has the ratings to proves it’s not out of fashion!
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 49 reviews.- Prep time: 15 min
- Total time: 1 hr 20 min
- Ingredients: 5
- Servings: 10
Cheese and tomatoes are the bedrock of many classic Italian American dishes and for very good reason: They’re simply better together, and they don’t need much in the way of supporting ingredients—as this simply delicious baked ziti proves.
4.8 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 21 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 25 min
- Total time: 7 hr 25 min
- Ingredients: 10
- Servings: 6
Sometimes the best dishes are the ones created with the humblest of ingredients. That’s certainly true in the case of this rich and satisfying soup whose dynamite flavor is mostly thanks to a ham hock and some black-eyed peas.
4.9 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 24 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 20 min
- Total time: 50 min
- Ingredients: 7
- Servings: 10
Mashed potatoes are comfort all on their own, but add in bacon, Cheddar, cream cheese and green onions, as we did in this recipe, and suddenly you’ve got a whole casserole of next-level mashers!
4.2 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 122 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 25 min
- Total time: 60 min
- Ingredients: 9
- Servings: 6
In certain parts of the country, comfort food means hot dish (aka casserole). This version is just as straightforward as the dish you might remember from childhood, so cook it up when you need a little taste of home.
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 8 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 40 min
- Total time: 60 min
- Ingredients: 14
- Servings: 4
Pan-fried pork chops smothered in oniony gravy are a Southern classic. This one-and-done version has all that flavor but gets the dish done in a 13x9 for a family-size dinner on the double!
4.9 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 28 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 40 min
- Total time: 40 min
- Ingredients: 11
- Servings: 6
You can skip the Italian restaurant and you don’t need the jarred stuff either when you’re craving pasta tossed with rich alfredo sauce. Grab a couple of simple ingredients and you’ll be on your way to mastering homemade alfredo sauce.
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 164 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 50 min
- Total time: 50 min
- Ingredients: 14
- Servings: 6
This dish of allspice-flavored meatballs, creamy gravy and egg noodles is a satisfying way to cure a comfort food craving. And thanks to this recipe, you can pull it all off in your Dutch oven. Extra credit if you’ve got a jar of lingonberry preserves on hand!
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 229 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 10 min
- Total time: 60 min
- Ingredients: 6
- Servings: 6
Give into your craving for crispy, fried chicken and skip the greasy stovetop mess! This recipe has it all and requires only 10 minutes of prep!
4.6 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 94 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 45 min
- Total time: 50 min
- Ingredients: 9
- Servings: 6
We’ve got plenty of recipes for rich beef and savory mushrooms in tangy sour cream sauce, and honestly, they’re all good. Still, we keep coming back to this recipe, because it nails the flavor, comes together with a minimum of fuss and makes cleanup a breeze. What more could you ask for?
3.7 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 62 reviews.- Prep time: 15 min
- Total time: 60 min
- Ingredients: 5
- Servings: 8
There are so many ways to make great macaroni and cheese but what we particularly like about this recipe is that the sauce is made from scratch with only a few ingredients, including sharp cheddar cheese. It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
4.6 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 5 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 15 min
- Total time: 30 min
- Ingredients: 11
- Servings: 6
When you need a solid 100-percent homemade chicken noodle soup but don’t want to spend all day making it, this is your go-to recipe. Throw it together in 30 minutes with your package of chicken breasts and you won’t be disappointed.
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 556 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 15 min
- Total time: 55 min
- Ingredients: 8
- Servings: 4
This recipe has been a classic since it was first published in a Betty Crocker cookbook years ago. Try it and you’ll know why people love this combination of ground beef, rice and cheese baked inside a bell pepper (spoiler: it tastes like a deconstructed cheeseburger!).
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 6 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 30 min
- Total time: 4 hr 30 min
- Ingredients: 9
- Servings: 8
Just because you didn’t grow up with the Southern classic, doesn’t mean you can’t adopt it as your own. Collards cooked low and slow with a little bit of ham are too delicious to remain a regional favorite only.
4.5 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 150 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 30 min
- Total time: 50 min
- Ingredients: 11
- Servings: 8
Yet another spin on a regional favorite, Fritos™ pie casserole is the loaded dinner of your dreams! With ground beef, refried beans, plenty of cheese and enchilada sauce in the mix, this dish is comfort food at its best.
4.2 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 616 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 25 min
- Total time: 6 hr 35 min
- Ingredients: 9
- Servings: 8
No list of comfort food recipes could be complete without the inclusion of a really good lasagna. This saucy, meaty and cheesy version is one of our favorites because it’s made in the ever-reliable slow cooker.
4.3 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 33 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 15 min
- Total time: 30 min
- Ingredients: 9
- Servings: 5
There are certain comfort food dishes that really need to start with a box and this is one of them. Made with Hamburger Helper cheeseburger macaroni, a package of ground beef and your favorite burger toppings, it’s a simple and glorious reminder of childhood.
4.4 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 180 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 25 min
- Total time: 1 hr 50 min
- Ingredients: 11
- Servings: 4
The people have spoken, and this chili recipe is their favorite. It’s made from a solid base of standard ingredients that come together for a chunky, hearty and perfectly spiced version of chili con carne—see comments, if you need more convincing.
4.8 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 62 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 20 min
- Total time: 1 hr 5 min
- Ingredients: 11
- Servings: 8
Tater Tots™casserole and chicken pot pie are two of our favorite comfort foods, which is why we decided to combine them into one super comforting casserole. The result is a new-school favorite that’s already earned a five-star rating from your fellow home cooks.
4.4 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 8 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 30 min
- Total time: 7 hr 30 min
- Ingredients: 9
- Servings: 6
Whether your family holidays included beef brisket or not, we think you’ll find comfort in this dish. The trick to making sure brisket turn out tender is using low and slow heat, which is why the slow cooker is perfect here. Give it a try and you might decide it’s time to adopt this dish as your new holiday tradition.
4.4 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 496 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 15 min
- Total time: 40 min
- Ingredients: 10
- Servings: 4
No one should be without a solid meatball recipe, so we offer you this. It’s time-tested, requires only basic ingredients and the results would make any nonna proud!
4.0 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 22 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 35 min
- Total time: 35 min
- Ingredients: 17
- Servings: 8
Chili and macaroni and cheese, yes please! This version of the homey dish is the ultimate and one reason for that is it can be made ahead, so comfort food is never more than a zap away.
3.8 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 24 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 25 min
- Total time: 1 hr 35 min
- Ingredients: 13
- Servings: 8
Chances are you’ve got a favorite pot roast. Now we offer you a version that can be made in your newest kitchen appliance. Based on one of Betty’s time-tested recipes, this tender and comforting pot roast is simply a new-school version of your old favorite recipe.
4.7 out of 5 stars, average rating value out of 13 reviews.Kitchen Tested- Prep time: 50 min
- Total time: 1 hr 50 min
- Ingredients: 13
- Servings: 10
If you’re wondering how this recipe made the list, chances are you didn’t grow up in the upper Midwest where wild rice plays a prominent role in regional cooking traditions. Give it a try and you’ll see why, this nutty and chewy grain is so well loved, particularly in this creamy and comforting chicken soup.
