Best Comfort Food Recipes for Cosy Nights In
Some of the best comfort food recipes, from shepherd’s pie to mac and cheese. Warm, hearty dishes for cosy nights in. Shop the ingredients on Plate Up.
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What do we mean when we say comfort food? For some, it’s a classic warming tomato soup with a cheese toastie on the side as the rain hums against the window. For another, it’s a spicy curry served with buttery, fluffy rice, a family recipe passed down through generations. There’s not really a single definition when we say comfort food, it’s more about how the food makes you feel; warm, satisfying, familiar.
Often, it’s the ritual around certain dishes that can make it comforting. Whether it’s a slow Sunday afternoon reading on the sofa whilst the smell of roast chicken basking in its juices fills your home, or a 20 minute throw-it-all-in pasta simmers as you unwind from a long day at work, comfort food has a way of making everything feel just that tiny bit better.
As the days get shorter and the nights feel colder, comforting dishes are exactly what you might find yourself searching to cosy up that weekly meal plan. Sometimes you don’t want a fancy dinner; you want what is going to hit the spot! From melty cheeses to rich broths, comfort food is basically just a giant hug on a plate.
And Plate Up is there (with its arms extended for that hug) to make the path to ‘I need something comforting tonight’ even easier. We’re removing the work around deciding what to make and have pulled together a collection of recipes to cover you this season. From the nostalgic shepherd’s pie, to bubbling Mac and cheese, or even an indulgent sticky toffee, our chef-made comfort food classics are guaranteed to deliver all the warmth, cosiness and comfort you need.
Check out our quick and easy comfort food recipes below, choose your favourites, and add all the ingredients you need straight to your supermarket basket in just a few taps.
Best Comfort Food Recipes
British Classics
A cottage pie bubbling away in the oven, or succulent sausages nestled in a bed of buttery mash, British classics are, and always will be, a family favourite. It’s the dishes we grew up with, and these are the kind of dishes that just feel like home.
by Martyn Odell
Sausages and fluffy baked-potato mash with a rich onion and red wine gravy, plus buttery cabbage on the side.
View RecipeA beefy, veg-packed filling with a surprise baked bean twist, finished with a golden cheddar mash topping.
View Recipeby Jo Pratt
A creamy, tartare-style fish pie with boiled eggs hidden in the middle and a crisp layer of oven chips on top.
View RecipeSausage Traybake & Honey Mustard Glaze
by Tom Kerridge
Crispy smashed potatoes, sausages and roasted cabbage cooked in one tray and drizzled with a sticky honey mustard glaze.
View RecipePasta & Bakes
From 20 minutes, to an hour, the best part about pasta and bakes is that they can simmer away for however long you like. Whether it’s a five ingredient creamy pasta or a golden, baked lasagne, they’re the ultimate comfort dish to put in the middle of the dining table for everyone to dig into.
by Dean Edwards
Layers of rich beef ragu, creamy white sauce and cheese, baked until golden and bubbling.
View Recipeby Plate Up
All the garlicky flavour of a chicken Kyiv in a creamy one-pan pasta with a crunchy parmesan ciabatta topping.
View Recipe5 Ingredient Creamy Sausage & Red Pepper Pasta
by Finnebrogue
Sausages and blended roasted peppers make a silky, speedy sauce for rigatoni in about 25 minutes.
View RecipeMarry Me Buffalo Chicken Traybake
by Dr. Will’s
A spicy buffalo spin on the viral Marry Me sauce, with chicken and pasta baked together in a single tray.
View RecipeSoups & Stews
Feeling a little under the weather? Nothing will be more there for you than a steaming bowl of soup or stew (and maybe a couple episodes of Friends). They’re also perfect for batch cooking, which means that tomorrow’s lunch is sorted too!
Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup
Slow-roasted tomatoes and peppers blended with feta and served with cheesy tomato swirl buns for dunking.
View RecipeSausage & Greens Tortellini Soup
by Plate Up
A quick, brothy bowl of sausage, tortellini and leafy greens that comes together in about 20 minutes.
View RecipeAll the flavours of a steak pie in a hands-off slow cooker stew, generous enough to freeze for later.
View Recipe5 Ingredient Chorizo & Butter Bean Stew
by Plate Up
Smoky chorizo, harissa and creamy butter beans make a cosy one-pot dinner in around 20 minutes.
View RecipeVegetarian Comfort Food
Comfort food is all about comforting, satisfying dinners, and if you don’t eat meat, we’ve got you covered with plenty of cosy classics. Bubbling cheeses, hearty beans, creamy risottos: okay, now we’re hungry!
Punjabi Black-Eyed Beans Curry
by Suki Pantal
A gently spiced onion and tomato curry with black-eyed beans, simple, affordable and full of flavour.
View Recipeby Plate Up
Creamy butter beans in a tomato, basil and mozzarella bake, topped with a smoky ciabatta crumb.
View Recipeby Tom Kerridge
A generous macaroni cheese with four cheeses, grainy mustard and a crunchy breadcrumb top.
View RecipeSpiced Butternut Squash Risotto
by Plate Up
Creamy risotto with caramelised butternut squash and a gentle warmth from cumin and ginger.
View RecipeSweet Treats
And of course, no comfort food collection is complete without something sweet. Whether you’re craving a warm, gooey sticky toffee pudding, or quick and easy toasty cinnamon buns, we know that comforting dishes should always include savoury AND sweet.
by Dean Edwards
A date-studded sponge soaked in a salted toffee sauce and served with clotted cream.
View RecipeBakery-style cinnamon buns made with shop-bought pizza dough, no proving needed.
View Recipeby Jo Pratt
Berries and apple under a soft, scone-like topping that soaks up all the fruity juices.
View RecipeFAQs
What is comfort food?
Comfort food is warming, hearty dishes that give you that feeling of comfort and feeling good, perfect for the cooler months. From nostalgic, cosy dishes that you’ve grown up with, to speedy, cheesy, crowd-pleasing favourites guaranteed to keep the family satisfied. They’re the ultimate feel-good dinners.
What are the most popular British comfort foods?
British comfort food is all about the classics. From bangers and mash to cottage pie, they’re always on the pub menu, but should absolutely be on your home menu too.
Is comfort food always unhealthy?
Absolutely not, comfort food recipes are the kind of dishes designed to make you feel good, whether that’s nourishing homemade stew or a bubbling, cheesy pasta bake.
What’s a quick comfort meal for a weeknight?
A saucy pasta always has a space on our weekly meal plan for a quick comfort meal when the week gets busy. Especially when it can be on the table in less than 30 minutes, giving you back the evening to yourself. We recommend our 5 Ingredient Creamy Sausage & Red Pepper Pasta.
Ready to Cosy Up?
Pick your favourite comfort food recipes from the list above and Plate Up will add everything you need straight to your Tesco or Sainsbury’s basket. You can download Plate Up for free and settle in for a cosy night, with something delicious bubbling away.
