Healthy Comfort Foods: Indulge in your favorite comfort foods in a healthier way with these delicious and nutritious recipes.
With winter comes cozying up inside with the fireplace crackling, hot cider on the stove and some comfort food on the table! Winter = comfort food…at least to me. Break-ups also = comfort foods, but I’m not going to get into that here.
Comfort food does exactly what the name says…it comforts you! But that’s not the only thing that comfort food is famous for. Most often, these favorite dishes of ours come with a hefty dose of high calories, fat and/or sugar, too. I know, that’s depressing – which might lead you to wanting some comfort food.
Well, I have good news for all you comfort food lovers. I have rounded up 30+ of the best comfort foods made healthy by registered dietitians! Yes, you can indulge on your favorite feel-good foods without compromising nutrition. Check out the list below to find your favorite healthier comfort food!
Appetizers and Side Dishes
Secret Ingredient Healthy Queso via Kansas City Dietitian
Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs via Your Choice Nutrition
Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes via Your Choice Nutrition
Curried Kale Chips via The Grateful Grazer
Blue Cheese Chive Dip via Live Best
7 Layer Hummus Dip via Your Choice Nutrition
Soups and Stews
Grandma’s Cheesy Potato Soup via Your Choice Nutrition
Smoked Firehouse Chili via Simple Swaps
Beef and Mushroom Stew via Better is the New Perfect
Pressure Cooker Minestrone Soup via Your Choice Nutrition
Spicy Three Bean Veggie Chili via The Grateful Grazer
Chipotle & Chocolate Chicken and Root Vegetable Chili via Katie Cavuto, RD
Entrees
Turkey Bacon Breakfast Quiche with Hash Brown Crust via Caroline Kaufman, MS, RDN
Garlic Chicken and Spinach Spaghetti Squash via Your Choice Nutrition
Greek Zucchini Pie via Jessica Levinson
Meatball Stroganoff via Chocolate Slopes
Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf via Your Choice Nutrition
Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus and Zucchini via Real Living Nutrition Services
Feel-good food makeovers! 35+ Healthy Comfort Food Recipes! Click To Tweet
Tuna Casserole via Simple Swaps
Vegetarian Pumpkin and Kale Pasta Bake via MJ and Hungryman
Cauliflower Carbonara via Hungry Hobby
Butternut Squash and Kale Slow Cooker Lasagna via The Foodie Dietitian
Eggplant and Beef Lasagna (Gluten Free) via Prep Dish
Hide Your Veggies “Meat” Sauce via Nutrition A La Natalie
Broccoli Bacon Mac and Cheese via The Nutritionist Reviews
Creamy Carrot Mac and Cheese via Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
Baked Mac n’ Cheese via Abbey’s Kitchen
Lightened Up Macaroni and Cheese via Jessica Levinson
Chicken Parmesan via Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
Tofu Tikka Masala via Food, Pleasure and Health
Desserts
Individual Apple and Pumpkin Crisps via Abbey’s Kitchen
Cinnamon Roasted Apples via Amy Gorin, MS, RDN
Orange Cranberry Tart via Live Best
DIY Chocolate Nut Butter via Katie Cavuto, RD
Death by Chocolate Cake via Simple Swaps
Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Brown Butter Glaze via Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
Whole Grain Caramelized Banana Bread via Caroline Kaufman, MS, RDN
Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Black Bean Brownies via Katie Cavuto
Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake Tart via Your Choice Nutrition
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Angela Tolsma
Hmmm so many yummy options!
Brittany
Yes- so many recipes to choose from – so little time to make it all!
Rachel Lloyd
Most of my favorite soups for winter and fall are actually healthy! It’s so awesome to find good recipes that are good for you as well. Thanks for this awesome list!
Brittany
I love healthy soup recipes – definitely comforting!
Caroline @ Caroline Kaufman Nutrition
What a great roundup – thanks for including my recipes. Sending you comfort vibes! xx Caroline
Brittany
You’re welcome – can’t wait to try them out. And thanks – it’s snowing here today so needing all the comfort vibes I can get! 🙂
Kelli @ Hungry Hobby
Thanks for including my carbonara these dishes look amazing, I love me some comfort food especially today it’s raining!
Brittany
Yes- it’s snowing where I am at so some comfort food is in order!
Elizabeth Shaw
What an awesome round up! Thanks for including my chili, tuna casserole and chocolate cake! I want all of these now! Ha!
Brittany
You’re welcome. I agree – so many yummy recipes and I want them all!
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious
So many delicious, comforting recipes here! Thank you for including my zucchini pie and mac and cheese! Can’t wait to try some of these other recipes!
Rocio Chavez
Yay, thank you so much for all these fab recipes. I’m dying to try the bean brownies, death by chocolate and everything cauliflower 😀 Can’t wait!
Dia @ All The Things I Do
great list. I wish more people would see how awesome cauliflower is, it’s like the swiss army knife of veggies. I’ve made wings, pizza crust.. you name it from it. Love finding healthy swaps
Brittany
Cauliflower IS awesome! It’s definitely underrated!
Christine | Vermilion Roots
Such great ideas! I take comfort in knowing I am feeding my body well. 🙂
Alicia Michelle
OMG thanks for sharing this, lately my eating habits have been bad, so knowing that I can still eat yummy healthy food is great to know! I will def be trying some of these out
Brittany
The holiday season can bring with it lots of lavish food, so having healthier options to turn to is great!
Allison Jones
I love trying to figure out ways to lighten up my favorites. This is an awesome round up. Thank you for sharing.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison
Matt @ Plating Pixels
I love comfort food and am trying to lose weight. Win win! I’ll be gone through this list for sure.
GiGi Eats
I pretty much just clicked on every single one of those links… And now it sounds like my computer may explode! LOL!
Brittany
Uh oh! I hope the tasty recipes are worth it! 🙂