5 irresistible comfort food ideas for a cozy and relaxing night

When the darker nights draw in, and it’s the height of sweater weather, only the best comfort food dishes will do. And to make them the best they have to be home cooked meals. 

For the top comfort food dinner ideas, read on below for our favorite five recipes. From mac and cheese to creamy pumpkin curry, we have all the easy comfort food dinner ideas you’ll need to keep the family full. 

Mac and cheese with a twist

Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food dish. Surprisingly moreish, there’s something instantly relaxing about a hearty plate of creamy, indulgent, and carb-loaded mac and cheese. Yet it doesn’t have to be basic. Try putting an elevated twist on your mac and cheese via a Michelin-star inspired take on the recipe with a lobster mac and cheese. Multiple types of cheese, smoked paprika, and tasty breadcrumbs add a touch of sophisticated flavors to this comfort food recipe. Or if you want to dial up the comfort food factor, then experiment with introducing salty, irresistible bacon cubes to the mixture, or even using slices of pancetta to create a crunchy, savory crumb. 

There are few dishes that can transport your tastebuds back home in an instant than a home-style roasted chicken with all the trimmings and sides. And cooking a roast doesn’t have to be stressful. A tried and tested way to roast a chicken at home is in a one-pot roast, with lemons and onions stuffed into the chicken to help keep it moist and flavorful. Of course a roast chicken wouldn’t be complete without crunchy roast potatoes on the side. If you’re taking a one-pot cooking approach you can add the potatoes to the pan with the chicken and allow them to roast in the meaty juices. Smashed potatoes are a trendy way to serve roast potatoes, and you can simply roast these in a tin next to the chicken whilst it’s cooking. Cauliflower, honey-roasted carrots, and crunchy parsnips are all other perfect natural pairings for a mouth-watering roasted chicken.

Potatoes top the list of many a chef’s favorite comfort food, and they’re one of the most versatile ingredients around. Whilst roasted potatoes are perfectly at home alongside a home-style roasted chicken, classic mashed potatoes and gravy is a brilliant comfort food dish to turn to. And there are lots of tips and tricks to make mashed potatoes the creamiest and fluffiest they can be. Set yourself up for success by choosing the right potatoes. Varieties like russet and Yukon gold work well as they become fluffy when cooked and break down easily with milk and butter. Adding warm milk is a well-known chef’s trick to make the tastiest mashed potatoes. Garnishes like fresh chives help to lift the creaminess of the mashed potatoes, but if you do want to indulge fully in the comfort food side of the dish, then add salty bacon lardons for added flavor depth.

If you’re craving the comfort food feeling of a hearty lasagna, but don’t have the time to make it, then a baked ziti is the next best thing. Skip the complicated pasta layers and make a simple baked ziti to hit that sweet spot. Ziti is widely available at many grocery stores, but if you can’t find it for any reason, then penne pasta will work just as well. Essentially you’ll need to use any substantial pasta variety that will hold its shape, as well as the sauce and meat, in this Italian American dish. Just like a lasagna the dish is built in layers, but it can be much more informal. A classic ziti will call for layers of marinara sauce including sausage meat, ricotta, and ziti pasta, to assemble the dish. Top with parmesan cheese for a bubbling, golden, crunchy cheesy top. It will take over an hour to make, but it is still significantly quicker than a lasagna and a perfect midweek meal for all the family. 

A well-made, balanced curry can be an excellent choice for a comfort food dinner. And if you’re holding on the takeaways, try making your own homemade curry. For a truly seasonal flavor, a creamy pumpkin curry is a great way to indulge in a tasty dish with an in-season ingredient. Coconut milk and pumpkin purée both add a creamy texture and indulgent element to the curry. As with any good curry, you’ll need to allow ample time for the flavors to simmer to bring it all together and you can add any variety of vegetables that you’d like to the curry. Chickpeas, bell peppers, and cauliflower pair brilliantly with the flavors of pumpkin, and of course for a full comfort food dish, you’ll need to plate up with a helping of rice and an inviting naan bread. A dollop of sweet mango chutney complements the pumpkin curry bringing out its sweetness too.