Comfort Food Recipes
Warm, cosy comfort food from around the world. Lasagna, butter chicken, ramen, dal, mash and lava cake, with a reason to cook each one.
Comfort food is the dinner you want after a long day, a cold night or a bad week. It's warm, it's filling, and it asks nothing of you except a fork. Every culture has its own version, and most of them are cheaper and easier than they look. Here are our favourites, from a bubbling tray of lasagna to a bowl of dal that costs almost nothing.
The big, bubbling bakes
- Lasagna. Layers of pasta, rich sauce and melted cheese. It feeds a crowd, it reheats beautifully, and it tastes even better the next day.
- Moussaka. Greece's answer to lasagna, with silky eggplant instead of pasta sheets and a creamy topping that browns in the oven.
- Pizza. Homemade dough, whatever's in the fridge on top, and everyone gets to build their own. Learn the dough once with our kneading guide and you're set for life.
Curries and stews
- Butter chicken. Mild, creamy and tomato-rich. It's the curry that converts people who say they don't like curry.
- Dal. Spiced lentils simmered soft. It's one of the cheapest, most filling meals in the world and vegan as it stands.
- Tagine. A slow Moroccan stew of meat or vegetables with sweet spices and dried fruit. Low heat does the work while you put your feet up.
- Adobo. The Philippines' everyday favourite: chicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay. Five minutes of effort, big flavour.
Something in a bowl
- Ramen. Noodles in a deep, savoury broth with toppings piled high. Slurping is encouraged.
- Laksa. A spicy, coconutty noodle soup from Malaysia and Singapore that clears a blocked nose and lifts a grey day.
- Pho. Vietnam's fragrant beef or chicken noodle soup, scented with star anise and served with a pile of fresh herbs.
- Winter vegetable soup. Chunky, half-blended and creamy without any cream. It uses up the vegetable drawer.
- Risotto. Rice stirred slowly until it turns velvety. Twenty minutes at the stove, and it's oddly relaxing.
On the side
- Creamy mashed potatoes. Fluffy, buttery and lump-free. Put it under a stew or eat it straight from the pot.
- Dumplings. Folding them is half the fun, especially with a few people around the bench. Freeze a batch for nights you can't be bothered.
- Sticky ribs. Oven-braised, then glazed with soy, honey and ginger. Messy fingers are part of the deal.
Pudding, because you deserve it
- Lava cake. Chocolate puddings with a molten middle, ready in 12 minutes.
- Apple pie. Flaky pastry and a cinnamon filling. Serve warm with ice cream or custard.
- Baked apples. All the cosiness of apple crumble with a fraction of the work.
Make comfort food cheaper
The cheapest comfort meals lean on pantry staples: rice, lentils, pasta, potatoes, onions and tins. Our pantry staples guide shows what to keep on hand so a cosy dinner is always ten minutes from starting. And when there's a big pot left over, read our food safety guide for how to cool and store it so it's just as good tomorrow.