Quick Comfort Food Recipes That Make Delicious Dinners

When you need a meal that soothes as much as it satisfies turn to this 20-minute mac-and-cheese. Pasta and broccoli are cooked in the same pot, then drained and stirred together with reserved pasta water, cream cheese, butter, and Parmesan for the easiest sauce ever. We think you'll be making this genius dish on the regular.

If you've got one pot and 35 minutes, this comforting combo can be dinner. Make the meatballs, start cooking the orzo, add the meatballs to the pot and 6 or 7 minutes later you'll be stirring in some lemon juice; then serving with a drizzle of oil, Parmesan, pepper, dill, and lemon wedges.

Here's a one-skillet dinner that takes just 35 minutes. What makes it so special? The creamy sauce made with mustard, broth, and cream cheese which coats the chicken breasts and egg noodles. 

Some chili builds flavor and texture by simmering for hours, but others, like this 30-minute version, use key ingredients such as beer and canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to build it fast. Customize each bowl with your favorite garnishes—cheese, sour cream, green onion, and bacon are all good choices.

Chicken soup truly does warm the soul, and this fast take on noodle soup is warming and healthy thanks to quick-cooking zucchini noodles. Most grocery stores sell pre-cut zoodles in the vegetable department or freezer section.

The comfort of a burger is brought to you in the form of these cheeseburger-esque hand pies, which are wrapped in a buttery, flaky golden crust that's made with store-bought puff pastry. Dip them in ketchup and mustard or enjoy them as is.

Synonymous with comfort food, casseroles have been warming us from the inside out for decades. This weeknight version cooks in just 20 minutes and is a little healthier than the classic thanks to a sneaky add in—cauliflower—which pairs perfectly with the rest of this cheesy bake.

No more powdered cheese packets! Our food editors' favorite macaroni and cheese is richer, creamier, and made with ingredients you can pronounce. Best of all, this recipe is almost as quick as the boxed variety—it will get you from stovetop to table in just about 30 minutes.

In recent years it has come to light that two classic comfort foods—fried chicken and waffles—are even more delicious when you enjoy them together. Serve with maple syrup and tabasco sauce for a sweet-savory finish.

Hearty soups really hit home on the coldest winter nights and lentils cook quickly and add heft. Shiitake mushrooms bring rich flavor and kale crisps make a surprising crunchy topping.

Why go to the drive-in when you can make an even better burger at home? One of our secrets is slathering the buns with our secret crisping agent—mayonnaise—before toasting them. As the finishing touch, we use the best melting cheese: American.

Reinvent everyone's favorite dip as dinner by adding in quick-cooking chicken cutlets. This quick comfort food dinner is sure to become a family favorite.

The quick marmalade sauce for this pork entrée mimics the flavors we all love from Chinese takeout and gets dinner on the table faster than ordering in. The sauce works well with chicken, beef, or shrimp, too.

Tuck into these individual-portioned enchilada pies in just 30 minutes. Use any brand of store-bought salsa that you already know and love.

Forget warming and filling individual tortillas; scoop your taco filling into this nacho-topped casserole instead. Arrange condiments on the side so everyone can top their portion just how they like it.

Lots of time and love goes into a traditional chicken pot pie. We found a way to cut down on the time and build flavor fast by making individual ones. Note that this recipe serves two, but it can easily be doubled for four.

If getting dinner on the table fast is important to you, you'll be pleased to know that gooey grilled cheese sandwiches are the winner for fastest comfort food. This recipe spreads butter and mayonnaise on the bread, which makes for the crispiest crust and softest interior. For extra comfort, dip your grilled cheese into our Test Kitchen's Favorite Tomato Soup, another classic that can be prepared while the sandwiches grill.

Take a southern classic—shrimp and grits—south of the border by adding in flavorful chorizo and salsa. Any store-bought salsa can be subbed for the homemade one to speed things up another notch, if desired.

Our fastest chicken Parmesan recipe uses thin chicken cutlets and the broiler to speed up cooking time and get dinner on the table fast. To make things even easier, you can bread the cutlets used in this recipe and freeze them. All you have to do is bake, top, and broil anytime you're craving this dish.

Hearty stews are one of the ultimate comfort foods, but they are often overlooked as a weeknight meal because they take a while to cook. This stew is ready in just about the time it takes to boil potatoes. How do we manage that? By using a quicker-cooking cut of beef.