20 Satisfying and Healthy Comfort Foods

Comfort foods generally refer to dishes that evoke positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, or a sense of connectedness. These foods are often linked to cultural traditions and memories. They can include childhood favorites and home-cooked meals.

Comfort foods may or may not be high in calories, fat, and sugar, but consuming them in moderation is okay. If you'd like to make them more nutritious, you can do so with small tweaks or recipe additions.

1. Macaroni and Cheese With Butternut Squash

Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food for many. It contains ingredients like pasta, cheddar cheese, eggs, and evaporated milk, which increase the meal's calories, sodium, and saturated fat content.

Alternative versions include vegetables such as butternut squash and cauliflower to increase the fiber content of the recipe. The butternut squash mac and cheese recipe by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics contains 300 calories, 53 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of protein, 2.56 grams of saturated fat, and 6 grams of fiber per cup serving.

2. Turkey Burgers

Turkey burgers are a good alternative if you love hamburgers but don't want to consume fast food. You can make a burger with almost any type of meat, but turkey has lower saturated fat than beef.

A turkey burger with your favorite bread and sauce, plus onions, tomatoes, and lettuce, is a rich and satisfying meal that contains 28 grams of carbohydrates, 30 grams of protein, and 4 grams of saturated fat.

3. Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Casseroles are stars of family gatherings and potlucks. Broccoli and rice casserole is a delicious dish made with simple ingredients.

You can make one with vegetables of your choice, rice, butter, milk, and cheddar cheese. A serving of the casserole contains 30 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of protein, and 3 grams of saturated fat.

4. Quick Lasagna 

Lasagna is a meal often cooked for gatherings. It's a very filling dish made with layers of pasta, meat, and cheese, baked in an oven tray all at once.

One serving contains 24 grams of protein, 17 grams of carbohydrates, and 4.5 grams of saturated fat. To make it healthier, you can try adding more vegetables to the sauce, such as pureed zucchini.

5. Noodle Salad With Peanut Butter Sauce 

You can make a cold noodle salad dish by mixing whole-grain spaghetti (or brown rice or buckwheat noodles), edamame, avocado, and carrots with a sauce made from peanut butter, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one serving contains 41 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of protein, and 2 grams of saturated fat.

6. Chicken Rice Soup 

Chicken rice soup provides the comfort of a warm, home-cooked meal with simple ingredients: chicken (or turkey), broth, rice, and vegetables. It's low in calories and saturated fat while packing healthy levels of carbohydrates and protein.

Two cups of chicken rice soup contain 170 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of protein, and 1 gram of saturated fat.

7. Beef and Bean Chili

Chili can be a comforting dish for those who enjoy spicy flavors. Ground beef, tomato sauce, onions, kidney beans, and chili powder are used to make beef and bean chili.

Both beef and beans provide protein. Each serving contains 24 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of saturated fat.

8. Grilled Steak

Steak is a classic meal, often paired with sauces and roasted vegetables. It's easy to make and is filling due to its high protein and fat content. You can choose lean beef to lower the total fat content.

Marinate the meat with garlic, lemon juice, oil, and spices before cooking. You can cook the steak in an iron skillet. A grilled steak made from 4 ounces of lean beef contains about 26 grams of protein and 1 gram of saturated fat.

9. Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese Croutons

Warm homemade soup can be comforting. Try tomato soup with cheese croutons.

This recipe requires only tomatoes, onions, garlic, brie cheese, olive oil, and spices. A 1.5-cup serving of tomato soup and five cheese croutons contains 195 calories, plus vitamins A and C.

10. Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup has a sweet, rich taste and is a warm, comforting meal often enjoyed in winter. Although it takes a little longer to prepare, it is low in calories.

Butternut squash is high in vitamin A. One cup provides 83% of the recommended daily vitamin A intake. One serving of the soup contains 64 calories, 2 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber.

11. Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Stews provide a warm mix of foods in one pot, usually containing meat and vegetables. Slow cooker beef stew is a nutrient-rich meal made with stew meat, flour, garlic, onion, and vegetables.

One serving contains 28 grams of carbohydrates, 30 grams of protein, 2 grams of saturated fat, and 4 grams of dietary fiber.

12. Fried Chicken

Fried chicken's crunchy exterior and soft interior make it satisfying to eat. However, restaurant fried chicken is often cooked in oil that has been reused many times, which is associated with negative health effects.

You can make a healthier version at home, even baking it instead of deep-frying. Season the chicken with milk, coat it with seasoning and breadcrumbs, refrigerate it for an hour, and then bake it in the oven. One serving contains 30 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbs, and 1 gram of saturated fat.

13. Meatball Soup

Meatball soup contains brown rice, meat, low-sodium bouillon, onion, tomato, egg, and a vegetable mix. You can make meatballs with different meats, including chicken, turkey, or red meat.

This can be a filling meal for lunch or dinner since three meatballs typically contain 28 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of protein, and 2 grams of saturated fat.

14. Homemade Pizza

Pizza is often associated with movie nights, so it can evoke a sense of comfort. Pizza from chains typically contains more saturated fats than a simple one you can make at home using a bagel as the crust.

Split the bagel and toast it until it browns. Use tomato paste as the base and top it with ingredients of your choice: cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and onions.

15. Shrimp Sauté With Potatoes

Seafood like shrimp is especially comforting to people who live or have lived near the sea. Potatoes pair well with many seafood dishes. This recipe combines sautéed potatoes and vegetables with jumbo shrimp topped with Parmesan cheese.

One serving contains 3 ounces of shrimp, providing 24 grams of protein, 2 grams of saturated fat, and about 50% of the daily selenium requirement.

16. Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a creamy, soft, and satisfying dish. They have a high glycemic index, but combining them with roasted or fresh vegetables can slow digestion and support glucose control.

You can reduce the fat content of traditional mashed potatoes by using low-fat dairy and olive oil instead of full-fat dairy and butter.

17. Egg and Sausage Muffins 

Egg muffins are great for a high-protein breakfast or snack. This recipe contains eggs, fat-free milk, cheddar cheese, turkey sausage, vegetables of your choice, oil, and spices. Two muffins contain 21 grams of protein and 1 gram of saturated fat.

18. Apple Walnut Cake

Desserts can be comforting and mood-lifting for some people. Apple walnut cake is a no-added-sugar dessert recipe from the AHA. The recipe uses unsweetened applesauce and stevia instead of sugar. You need apples, walnuts, dried fruits, whole-grain flour, eggs, vanilla extract, and coconut flakes.

One serving contains 200 calories, 5 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of naturally occurring sugar from the ingredients.

19. Whole-Wheat Pancakes 

Pancakes are a cozy breakfast made with simple ingredients. A pancake recipe from MyPlate contains only whole wheat flour, eggs, buttermilk, brown sugar, oil, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. You can top them with berries or nuts and drizzle honey for sweetness.

Three four-inch pancakes contain 36 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of protein, and 3 grams of added sugar.

20. Overnight Pudding

Pudding is a quick dessert with a creamy texture. A chocolate pudding mix (about 25 grams) can contain 17 grams of sugar. You can make alternatives that contain less sugar and more fiber at home.

An overnight chia seed pudding recipe includes cocoa powder, milk, vanilla extract, agave syrup, and chia seeds. One serving contains about 9.8 grams of fiber and only around 2.4 grams of sugar.

A Quick Review

Foods are more than just nutrients. That's why some foods have a more special place in our palates and memories. Those foods can bring comfort and warmth but can also be high in calories, fat, and sugar.

Eating these foods in moderation is okay, especially for people without health conditions. However, many nutritious alternatives exist for those who prefer or need to choose foods low in saturated fats, sugars, and sodium while containing complex carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, protein, and fiber.