The 10 Best Winter Comfort Foods That Aren’t Soup

A Cookie Named Desire’s slow cooker chicken pot pie is something I make every winter at some point. It’s so good with her garlic and cheese biscuits, but just as yummy with some crescent rolls or canned biscuits if you want to save time. And because it’s not baked in a crust, there’s no sogginess when you reheat it — the biscuits and filling are both the perfect texture every time.

It’s hot, cheesy, carby, and filling — yep, Damn Delicious’ creamy beef and shells is a bona fide comfort dish. It’s essentially a homemade version of Hamburger Helper, and it’s one your family will ask for again and again.

Chili is the ultimate comfort meal, in my opinion. All The Healthy Things’ recipe is super easy — just brown your meat, dice your veg, and dump everything into the slow cooker for five to six hours on high or seven to eight on low. The best part of chili is adding all your favorite toppings, so don’t forget the avocados, cheese, and crushed Fritos.

Laughing Spatula’s cheesy chicken and broccoli casserole is so good when you’re feeding a crowd, and it’s particularly easy to make if you have some leftover chicken breasts lying around that you need to use up. Serve it with some garlic bread for maximum comfort.

Shepherd’s pie is one of those dishes I love but always seem to forget about when I’m planning what to make for dinner. Princess Pinky Girl’s version is super simple and uses instant mashed potatoes to speed things up, and overall is a surprisingly affordable meal for how many servings it yields.

When I think about the effort that goes into making a homemade soup, I think... what if I put the same amount of effort into something made of pasta instead? Averie Cooks’ homemade lasagna is such a great comfort meal for wintertime. It’s hot, saucy, cheesy, and just everything you could want.

If you were also introduced to beef bourguignon in the movie Julie & Julia, you were probably intimidated out of ever trying to cook it for yourself. Laughing Spatula’s version is much simpler because it’s made in the slow cooker and doesn’t require so much time and attention. You still get all the savory, herby deliciousness, which is what matters.

Dude That Cooks’ yellow fish curry feels nostalgic for me; when it was wintertime in college, I’d hit up the local Indian restaurant for yellow curry quite a bit. If a solid, spicy curry is what warms your bones best, you’ll be very happy with all the authentic flavor of this recipe.

Something about eating like I’m at a medieval tavern comforts my soul — the thought of crusty bread, a hunk of cheese, and a roast chicken feels like a balm against the winter cold. All The Healthy Things’ recipe will help you make a flavorful bird that’s done all the way through (and you should definitely eat those carrots in celery when they’re done — yum).

Chicken and dumplings is the comfort food in the South, and if you’ve never tried it, I urge you to make Princess Pinky Girl’s version. It’s a delicious, creamy chicken base with floating, fluffy dumplings bobbing throughout, and it’s ready in 30 minutes. Ugh, it’s just so good when you’ve been out in the cold all day.