Quick & Easy Comfort Food Recipes

Comfort food doesn't always require hours of slow-cooking on the stovetop. Satisfy your cold-weather cravings with quick-cooking dishes like spicy tomato soup and classic fettuccine Alfredo.

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Sloppy Gino

Nadia G. hollows out hamburger buns to keep this hand-held Bolognese from getting too sloppy. Thick shavings of your favorite Italian cheese add elegant flair.

Get the Recipe: Sloppy Gino

Fettuccine Alfredo

Cloaked in a thick and cheesy cream sauce, this comforting pasta dish is rich in every sense of the word. Giada uses fresh lemon juice and zest to brighten her sauce, which takes just 10 minutes to toss together.

Get the Recipe: Fettuccine Alfredo

Bacon, Egg and Shrimp Fried Rice

Swap takeout for stovetop: Ching's easy fried rice is ready in just 15 minutes and uses up any leftover protein you have sitting in the fridge, from chicken to roast pork.

Get the Recipe: Bacon, Egg and Shrimp Fried Rice

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

Debi and Gabriele’s simple recipe combines steamed spinach, Parmesan, egg yolks and some spices into gnocchi-like balls that bake for 25 minutes. No wonder it’s one of our most-rated five-star recipes!

Get the Recipe: Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

Buffalo Mozzarella Gratin

Honey and capers add surprising sweet, briny flavor to this bubbling bowl of melted buffalo mozzarella. When the breadcrumb topping has browned, this broiled cheese is ready for gratuitous dipping.

Get the Recipe: Buffalo Mozzarella Gratin

Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup

Giada's simple soup takes a shortcut, relying on jarred marinara sauce for the soup's base. Cannellini beans and pasta add bulk to the otherwise lighter broth, which possesses rich flavor despite its lack of cream.

Get the Recipe: Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup

Spaghetti al Limone

Sometimes the recipes with the fewest ingredients are the tastiest. Reach for David Rocco’s low-stress noodle dish — which calls for a box of pasta, a few lemons and Parmigiano — when you can’t make a supermarket run.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti al Limone: Spaghetti with Lemon Sauce

Herbed Garlic Bread

The simple pleasures of warm garlic bread can hardly be denied. In his version, Tyler slathers baguettes with a garlic-and-basil-infused butter, then bakes them until they are crusty and fragrant.

Get the Recipe: Herbed Garlic Bread

Italian Stracciatella

With its long list of ingredients, this Roman egg drop soup may sound complicated, but Nadia G. has a few timesaving tricks, including make-ahead chicken broth and store-bought tortellini.

Get the Recipe: Italian Stracciatella with Mini Meatballs, Tender Cheese Tortellini and Baby Spinach

Pasta alla Norma "Nuda"

This nuda (or "naked") take on pasta alla norma (an Italian dish rumored to be named after a Sicilian opera) calls for eggplant to be grilled, not pan-fried, and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese instead of the traditional ricotta salata.

Get the Recipe: Pasta alla Norma "Nuda"

Leftover Baked Potato Soup

Leave it to Alton to transform day-old baked potatoes into a fresh-tasting soup flavored with leeks, garlic and Parmesan, and speckled with a flurry of chives.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Baked Potato Soup

Penne ai Quattro Formaggi (Mac 'n' Cheese)

Debi and Gabriele give mac and cheese an Italian identity by baking mezze pasta (similar to penne, but shorter) with a mixture of pungent cheeses like Taleggio and Gorgonzola in 6-ounce ramekins.

Get the Recipe: Penne ai Quattro Formaggi (Mac 'n' Cheese)

Buttermilk Biscuit

Kelsey's salty Southern-style biscuits are perfect when topped with just a pat of butter, but if you'd like a more-flavorful bread, she offers variations for meaty, sweet and dessert-like takes.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuit