Eight Comfort Foods That Will Warm Your Soul: 5-Star & Award-Winning Recipes!
- Isabella Boston
- Dec 30, 2025
- 14 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Winter Comfort Foods That Will Warm Your Soul
"Cooking done with care is an act of love." - Graig Clairborne
There's a reason they are called 'comfort food's'. These warm, delicious, and oftentimes creamy dishes bring you goodness and comfort in every delightful bite!
For many of us, comfort foods evoke memories of grandma's cooking or the sense of being cared for by our loved ones. It's food that makes you feel good, like a warm hug, especially during times of sadness, loneliness, and stress. These foods evoke a sense of calmness when we are feeling depressed or worn out from our everyday lives. They can provide solace, security, and a sense of peace and happiness. And I am so thankful to the Lord my God for taste buds! He has blessed us not only with sustainable food but also with the gift of tasting it and truly enjoying it.
Here are a few of my favorite comfort foods for you to enjoy on a cold winter day or whenever you need a little comfort.
Comfort Food #1: Macaroni & Cheese
I first found this recipe in a cookbook by the legendary singer Patti LaBelle. Over the years, I have made it my own by adding more cheese, seasoned salt, and pepper. It has always been a crowd pleaser, and there was never much left, even if I made a big dish!
Ingredients:
Servings: 8 to 10
1 Tbs. oil (I recommend Grapeseed oil)
1 lb. elbow macaroni
9 Tbs. salted butter (Plus one more to drizzle!)
1 cup of shredded Muenster cheese (It's best to shred the cheese yourself so it will be fresh)
1 cup of shredded mild cheddar
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 cups Velveeta, cubed
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tsp. seasoned salt (I use Morton's Seasoned Salt)
½ tsp. black pepper
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole. (I use a Dutch Oven for moist, rich, and creamier macaroni and cheese!)
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the macaroni and the 1 Tbs. oil.
Cook for 7 minutes, or until somewhat tender.
Drain well, and return to the pot.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt 8 Tbs. of the butter.
Stir the melted butter into the macaroni.
In a large bowl, combine all of the shredded cheeses.
To the macaroni, add 3 cups of shredded cheeses, half and half, the cubed Velveeta cheese, the beaten eggs, the seasoned salt, and pepper. (Mix all together while the noodles are still good and hot.)
Transfer to the prepared casserole dish or Dutch Oven, and top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. of melted butter.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and bubbly.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Comfort Food #2: Beef Stew With Carrots & Potatoes
Ingredients:
Serving size: 6
This recipe is by Once Upon a Chef.
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, well-marbled, cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1½ teaspoons sugar
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in half
Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and set a rack in the lower middle position.
Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.) Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.
Add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place back in oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender. Fish out the bay leaf and discard it, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve the stew warm -- or let it come to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve. This stew improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead. Reheat, covered, over medium heat. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
NOTES
If you don’t have a Dutch oven or covered pot that is appropriate for the oven, the stew can be cooked on the stove. The timing will be the same, and it should be cooked over the lowest setting.
Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Simply prepare the stew as directed, then cool it to room temperature before refrigerating. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot. If you want to freeze the stew, transfer it to an airtight container once it has cooled. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the stew overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.
Comfort Food #3: Creamy Potato Soup
Ingredients:
The recipe is from Sam Merritt.
(I swapped the pork bacon for smoked turkey bacon).
6 strips (uncooked)smoked turkey bacon, cut into small pieces
3 Tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted, will work
1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 1.5 cups/200g)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup all-purpose flour (42g)
2 ½ lbs gold potatoes, peeled and diced into pieces no larger than 1” (this was about 6 large potatoes for me/1.15kg)
4 cups chicken broth (945ml)
2 cups milk (475ml)
2/3 cup heavy cream (155ml)
1 ½ teaspoon* salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
¼ - ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder**
⅔ cup sour cream (160g)
Shredded cheddar cheese, chives, and additional sour cream and bacon for topping are optional
Recommended Equipment
Immersion blender
Dutch Oven
Directions
Place bacon pieces in a large Dutch Oven or soup pot over medium heat and cook until bacon is crisp and browned.
Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
Add butter and chopped onion and cook over medium heat until onions are tender (3-5 minutes).
Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth (use a whisk if needed).
Add diced potatoes to the pot along with chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and ancho chili powder. Stir well.
Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes).
Reduce the heat to a simmer and remove approximately half*** of the soup to a blender (be careful, it will be hot!) and puree until smooth (half is about 5 cups of soup, but just eyeballing the amount will be fine. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.)
Return the pureed soup to the pot and add sour cream and reserved bacon pieces, stir well.
Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes before serving.
Top with additional sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, or chives. Enjoy!
Notes from the original author, Sam Merritt.
*I recommend starting with a more reserved amount of salt and then adding more as needed. The amount of salt needed will vary depending on the type/brand of broth you use
**If you haven't used ancho chili powder before, I recommend starting with ¼ teaspoon and then taste-testing before increasing to ½ teaspoon if you like the taste.
***If you want a completely creamy soup, you can puree all of it, just puree in batches, about half of the soup at a time. I prefer my potato soup with actual chunks of potatoes and prefer to puree just half of it.
Comfort Food #4: The Best Chili Recipe!
Ingredients:
This recipe has won dozens of cook-offs and is by Sam Merritt. (I swapped the pork bacon in this recipe for turkey bacon.)
5 strips uncooked smoked turkey bacon chopped¹
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
1 lb ground beef (455g) (I use 90%, but any will work)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili powder²
1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder²
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoons ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper³
¼ cup beef broth (295ml)
15 oz can dark red kidney beans, lightly rinsed and drained (425g)
15 oz can black beans, lightly rinsed and drained (425)
14.5 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained (411g)
7- oz can fire-roasted green chilis (198g)
¼ cup tomato paste (66g)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Preferred toppings are particularly sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips
Instructions
Place chopped (uncooked) bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp and cooked through. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and drain all but 1 ½ Tablespoons of grease. (5 strips of uncooked bacon)
Add onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
(1 large yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper)
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
(3 cloves of garlic)
Add beef, breaking apart with a spatula as you cook. Once the meat is partially (about 50%) browned, add sugar and all spices (chili powders, paprika, cumin, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper) and stir well.
(1 lb ground beef, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon chili powder², 1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder², 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper³)
Add all remaining ingredients — beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and Worcestershire sauce — and your cooked bacon, and stir well.
(1 ¼ cup beef broth, 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, 15 oz can black beans, 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, 7- oz can fire roasted green chilis, ¼ cup tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.)
Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 30 minutes to allow flavor to really develop.
Serve with preferred toppings (sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips are a must!)
Notes
¹For best flavor, DO NOT OMIT THE BACON. However, as someone who spent 23 years not eating bacon, I wanted to include tips for those of you who might have the same restrictions. If you wish to make this recipe without bacon, you can do so by skipping the first step, heating 1 ½ Tablespoons of oil over medium heat, and then beginning from step 2. On the other hand, if you want additional bacon for garnishing, cook it now and reserve.
²You can substitute one chili powder for the other and use just traditional chili powder or just ancho chili powder, but I personally like the blend of the two.
³This gives the chili a mild spice; if you like more heat, increase to ¼ teaspoon for a moderate spice. Add additional cayenne pepper at your own risk!
Comfort Food #5: Peach Cobbler
Ingredients:
I found this recipe on Tastes Better From Scratch.
5 peaches, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4 cups) (or 600-700 g)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vanilla icecream, if desired
Equipment
9x13 glass baking dish.
For the batter:
6 Tablespoons butter (85 g)
1 cup all-purpose flour (120 g)
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk (180 ml)
ground cinnamon
Instructions:
Add the sliced peaches, sugar, and salt to a saucepan and stir to combine. *(If using canned peaches, skip steps 1 & 2 and follow the directions starting at step 3)
Cook on medium heat for just a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and helps to bring out the juices from the peaches. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice butter into pieces and add to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats, to allow the butter to melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the oven.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, just until combined. Pour the mixture into the pan, over the melted butter, and smooth it into an even layer.
Spoon the peaches and juice (or canned peaches, if using) over the batter. Sprinkle cinnamon generously over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 38-40 minutes. Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.
Notes:
To substitute canned peaches, use 1 quart jar, undrained. Gluten-free Adaptations: Use gluten-free flour. I personally really like the Cup4Cup and King Arthur Measure for Measure brands.
Comfort Foods #6: Apple Pie by Grandma Ople
"This pie is delicious served warm, topped with whipped cream, ice cream, or more caramel sauce. I personally love it alongside a slice of Cheddar cheese."
Ingredients:
I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com.
8 small Granny Smith apples, or as needed
½ cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup water
1 (9-inch) double-crust pie pastry, thawed
Directions
Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Peel and core apples, then thinly slice. Set aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir to form a paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add both sugars and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Press one pastry into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out the remaining pastry so it will overhang the pie by about 1/2 inch. Cut pastry into eight 1-inch strips.
Place sliced apples into the bottom crust, forming a slight mound. Lay four pastry strips vertically and evenly spaced over apples, using longer strips in the center and shorter strips at the edges.
Make a lattice crust: Fold the first and third strips all the way back so they're almost falling off the pie. Lay one of the unused strips perpendicularly over the second and fourth strips, then unfold the first and third strips back into their original position.
Fold the second and fourth vertical strips back. Lay one of the three unused strips perpendicularly over the top. Unfold the second and fourth strips back into their original position. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 to weave in the last two strips of pastry. Fold and trim excess dough at the edges as necessary, and pinch to secure.
Slowly and gently pour sugar-butter mixture over lattice crust, making sure it seeps over sliced apples. Brush some onto the lattice, but make sure it doesn't run off the sides.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until apples are soft, 35 to 45 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
Comfort Food #7: The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
Servings: 36 cookies
I found this recipe on Joy Food Sunshine.
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugars until combined.
Beat in eggs and vanilla until light (about 1 minute).
Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
Add chocolate chips and mix well.
Roll 2-3 Tablespoons (depending on how large you like your cookies) of dough at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 8-10 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn brown.
Let them sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Ingredient Substitutions (Notes from the author of the recipe)
Butter. unsalted butter, coconut oil and vegan butter are all good substitutes. Or, use browned butter. For a vegan version, make this recipe: vegan chocolate chip cookies.
Eggs. No eggs, no problem – see my eggless chocolate chip cookies for many possible egg substitutions.
Granulated Sugar. Organic cane sugar works well, too.
Light Brown sugar. Dark brown sugar works well, but imparts a stronger molasses taste.
Flour. I recommend using an unbleached, all-purpose flour to make these chocolate chip cookies. All-purpose gluten-free flour works very well, too.
Sea Salt. I exclusively bake and cook with pure, fine sea salt. Sea salt is different than table salt (that is iodized), so if you use salt other than sea salt, I recommend testing the recipe first with ½ tsp and then adjusting to your taste.
Chocolate Chips. As you can see from the photos, sometimes I use chocolate chunks, chopped chocolate, or chocolate chips. It doesn’t matter what you use, as long as you use 2 cups. Choose your favorite variety: milk, semisweet, dark, etc.
Comfort Food #8: The Best Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients:
Servings: 15
I found this recipe on Tastes Better From Scratch. (Use a sheet cake pan or a Jelly Roll pan to make this delcious cake.)
1 cup water (240 ml)
1 cup butter (227 g)
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (22.5 g)
2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
1 teaspoon baking soda (5 g)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 g)
1/2 cup sour cream (120 g)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
For the Frosting
6 Tablespoons milk (90 ml)
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (22.5 g)
1/2 cup butter (115 g)
3/4 cups powdered sugar (450 g)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 1 8x13'' pan.
Add water, butter, and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
In another small bowl, mix the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.
Add the sour cream/egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until combined.
Once the chocolate mixture in the saucepan is boiling, remove it from the heat and pour it into the batter. Mix until no lumps remain.
Pour the mixture into a prepared pan and smooth with a spatula into an even layer.
Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until set (It is usually done around 15 minutes).
When the cake is about halfway through cooking, prepare the frosting.
For the Chocolate Sheet Cake Frosting
Add milk, cocoa, and butter to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Once boiling, remove it from the heat and stir in powdered sugar. Beat the mixture with a hand-held mixer to get rid of any lumps.
Pour hot icing over hot cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly over the cake. Allow frosting to set for about 10 minutes before eating.
Notes
You can store any extra cake covered in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Bella's Closing Statements
Thank you so much for spending time with me today and for allowing me to share with you Seven Comfort Foods That Will Warm Your Soul! Enjoy, and please visit me again at Bella's Attic Studio!
If you enjoyed this blog post, please share it with your family and friends.
Author’s Bio
Isabella Boston is a wordsmith and the creator of Bella’s Attic Studio: A multi-media writing platform and storytelling blog specializing in copywriting, marketing, and content writing.
She is well-versed in medical terminology and scientific research with a focus on the areas of neuroscience, immunology, and functional health. She is also a diarist, creative nonfiction writer, and self-published author.
Aside from being a writer, Isabella is a book lover, a language enthusiast, and, most importantly, a woman of God in Christ Jesus.
"Together we can share your stories, promote your cause, and connect you to your target audience one word at a time."