29 Comfort Food Recipes That Are Actually Healthy

Comfort food is often associated with indulgence. Creamy mac and cheese, pizzas laden with mozzarella, bowls of greasy, piping hot chili loaded with cheddar, and stacks of fluffy pancakes heaped with whipped cream and drenched in syrup are dishes that will warm the cockles of your heart but won't do you any favors health-wise. Now, however, there are more ways than ever to turn classic comfort food into healthy food without losing the essence of what makes it so darn soothing for the soul and palate. You can make wispy, crispy fried chicken without deep frying and produce a heaping bowl of pasta that has no grains in it whatsoever.

These recipes are designed to bring back all the feelings and memories associated with comfort food -– coziness, decadence, a full stomach, and happy memories of special occasions. Each dish in this collection has been carefully crafted to provide the same textures, flavors, and even appearances of the comfort foods you love but with a nutritional profile that leaves you feeling nourished instead of sluggish. You might even find yourself eating vegetables that you didn't think you liked or discovering that you actually prefer banana-based pancakes over flour-based ones. So, get ready to enjoy your favorite comfort foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without that lethargic, overstuffed feeling that often accompanies them.

There are many ways to prepare eggplant, but breaded and fried is at the top of the list. Crispy and just a little greasy, it's the kind of side dish that can enhance any meal, even breakfast.

Unfortunately, however, frying is not the healthiest way to cook, so we've devised a better way to indulge in crispy breaded eggplant that doesn't involve drowning it in oil. Don't worry, though, because it tastes just as delicious as the fried version. With a crispy coating of breadcrumbs and parmesan, it's flavorful and indulgent without piling on the calories.

Recipe: Healthy Baked Breaded Eggplant

Eggplant parmesan is a classic comfort food. Layers of breaded eggplant drenched in marinara and cheese might not sound like the healthiest dish out there, but there's a lot going for it.

For one thing, the base ingredient is a vegetable (technically, eggplant is a fruit, but it is commonly categorized as a vegetable). For another, there is no frying involved, meaning that the amount of oil is minimal compared to other breaded foods. Our recipe also happens to have been created by Kristen Carli, a registered dietician, which is all the proof we need of its nutritional value.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Eggplant Parmesan

You can spiralize zucchini all day, but it still can't call itself spaghetti squash. That distinction lies with a vegetable that, when cooked, can be sliced open to reveal ready-made strands that look just like pasta. It might not taste identical to spaghetti, but there's an argument to be made that the sweet nuttiness of spaghetti squash is even more delicious than its gluten-based namesake.

Cooking this squash in the oven is time-consuming, which is why this recipe calls for an Instant Pot. With this miraculous bit of kitchen equipment, your spaghetti will be ready in a mere seven minutes.

Recipe: Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

There are many ways to make miso soup, one of the most beloved dishes in Japanese cuisine. You can have it as nothing more than a simple broth, or fill it with dozens of ingredients. Recipe developer Maren Epstein has created a version that is full of flavor and guaranteed to pull you out of your soup-making routine.

Miso, a fermented soybean paste, comes in various strengths. White miso is milder and provides this soup with a light umami flavor to carry the ginger, tofu, noodles, and vegetables without overwhelming them.

Recipe: Miso Soup

Between fatty meat and creamy mashed potatoes, traditional shepherd's pie can be rich. And while that makes it undeniably delicious, it also means that it isn't quite as healthy as those carrots and peas want you to believe. This recipe tips the scales in the other direction, leaving out the greasy meat and replacing it with healthy, fiber-rich lentils and chickpeas.

These vegetarian alternatives to lamb and beef are surprisingly filling, with a nutty flavor that quells any fears that the dish might be less tasty without meat.

Recipe: Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Tomato soups are often sweet and creamy, the perfect antidote to a rainy day and an empty stomach. Despite their frequent appearances on lunch and appetizer menus, however, they are not the lightest fare. That luxurious, velvety consistency usually comes courtesy of lots of cream, and the sweetness is often the result of added sugar.

Recipe developer Maren Epstein has created a version of this cold-weather staple that uses only a single tablespoon of butter, no cream, and no added sugar. The result is savory, intensely flavorful, and just as comforting as less nutritious options.

Recipe: Tomato Soup

Broccoli is often maligned as a fibrous, uninspiring source of nutrients that is so unpleasant to consume that parents have to bribe their children with dessert in order for them to eat it. While it may be chewy when eaten raw and bland when it's been boiled into a gray mush, broccoli is delicious when prepared well.

This creamy soup is a case in point. Made with leeks, potatoes, cream, spinach, and, of course, broccoli, it provides a perfect mixture of superfoods and decadence, all in one comforting dish. You may as well double the recipe because you're bound to want more.

Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Soup

Vegan food isn't all green vegetables and nut milk. Lentils provide a rich, satisfying protein that can simultaneously beef up a meal and make it creamy without animal products. Chili is the perfect meat-based recipe to receive a vegan makeover because so many of its familiar comforts are the result of spices and vegetables rather than meat.

Aside from the substitution of ground beef or turkey with brown lentils, this recipe follows a classic formula. Chili powder, paprika, oregano, and crushed tomatoes are all featured, and although it doesn't include beans, you can easily add them.

Recipe: Vegan But Hearty Lentil Chili

If you haven't tried black bean brownies, you might be recoiling at the very thought of them, but trust us, this combination is not a joke, and it tastes delicious. Perhaps the automatic response people have to this pairing is that black beans are usually accompanied by lots of salt, but as soon as you try them with sugar, you'll realize they are no more inherently savory than nuts or zucchini.

Black beans are starchy, creating a perfect, high-protein substitute for flour and a flavor that is surprisingly mild to the point of undetectability.

Recipe: Simple Black Bean Brownies

"Comforting" and "beef stew" go hand-in-hand, and you can tweak your usual recipe to ensure that it's also nutritious. Meat and potatoes form the bones of this dish, but they are outnumbered by peas, carrots, onions, and a medley of fresh herbs.

There is no question that this stew is filling, but with so many healthy vegetables, it won't leave you feeling like you've overindulged. To maximize the flavor, make sure to sear the meat and sauté the onions and garlic in the leftover browned bits before adding the other ingredients.

Recipe: Hearty Beef Stew

If you love chili but are trying to cut back on red meat, you don't have to resort to vegetarian options (unless you want to, of course). Ground turkey, though not as fatty as most ground beef and pork, is mild and filling, making it the perfect protein for the other ingredients to infuse with flavor.

Recipe developer Kristen Carli points out that this chili is extremely flexible. You can change the ratio of spices and use whichever beans you favor as long as you leave in the turkey and the tomatoes.

Recipe: Quick Turkey Chili

Chicken noodle soup is the quintessential comfort food, a dish so soothing that it's the go-to recipe for anyone with a cold. It's also one of the few comfort foods that is inherently healthy. Warm chicken broth, veggies, and noodles have enough calories, carbs, and nutrients to set you on the road to recovery.

Our recipe focuses on efficiency and flexibility. It only takes 20 minutes to make and can accommodate a variety of vegetables and any cut of chicken. It's the perfect recipe for when you need a nourishing meal but don't have much energy to cook.

Recipe: 20-Minute Chicken Noodle Soup

For a new angle to a classic chili, recipe developer Miriam Hahn has created a version with the ancient grain known as freekeh, which has a nutty flavor and chewy texture. Although it isn't in as high a demand as brown rice or quinoa, many supermarkets now carry at least one brand of the grain, and it provides a quick substitution that makes a surprisingly noticeable difference.

Otherwise, this recipe follows the classic formula, though beans stand alone as the protein source. Top this chili with cilantro, sour cream, and cheese, and you'll have a wholesome spin on a beloved comfort food.

Recipe: Healthy Freekeh Chili

There is nothing particularly unhealthy about pancakes, but when they're made with white flour and topped with sugary maple syrup and butter, they don't have many nutrients to speak of. For an alternative that will provide the complex carbohydrates and vitamins to fuel your day, these three-ingredient oatmeal pancakes are a no-brainer.

Made with nothing but oats, eggs, and milk, they are full of healthy fiber, protein, and vitamins to keep you energized and satiated. They have a denser texture than flour-based pancakes, but they taste just as delicious, especially when covered with your favorite toppings.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Oatmeal Pancakes