Food Comfort Foods Fall Comfort Foods You'll Want to Indulge in Right Now By Midwest Living editors Midwest Living editors Midwest Living's experienced editors create best-in-class travel, lifestyle, food, home and garden content you won't find anywhere else. We're loudly, proudly Midwestern, and we're passionate about helping our audience explore and create through award-winning storytelling. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 9, 2023 Trending Videos Photo: Carson Downing As the days chill, comfort foods call. Try our recipes for pizzas, mac and cheese, chili, meat loaf, pork chops and more. 01 of 41 Smoked Mozzarella and Kale Lasagna Brie Goldman Made with no-boil noodles, this memorable lasagna hides two secrets in its layers: smoked mozzarella (for autumnal vibes) and lemon zest (for a delicate lift). The dance between the two will haunt you, deliciously. Pasta Recipes to Make Tonight View Recipe 02 of 41 Queso Fundido Kelsey Hansen What says comfort food better than lots of gooey cheese? Queso fundido (quite literally, melted cheese) hails from Mexico. You'll get maximum gooey stretch from Chihuahua cheese, but Monterey Jack works too. Warm and Cheesy Recipes View Recipe 03 of 41 Feeling Fall Pizza Carson Downing Topped with a cornucopia of fall ingredients like roasted sweet potato, dried cranberries and pecans, this pizza recipe from Millsap Farm has a surprising cream cheese "sauce." (Be sure to use lots of salt and pepper to balance the richness.) Homemade Pizza Recipes View Recipe 04 of 41 Butternut 'Ravioli' with Brown Butter and Sage Brie Goldman These almost-handmade ravioli are filled with maple-kissed butternut squash and topped with crispy sage leaves. Thanks to wonton wrappers, they're surprisingly easy to make. Easy and Delicious Butternut Squash Recipes View Recipe 05 of 41 Short Ribs over Cheesy Polenta Cooked this way, short ribs give you a delicious, dressed-up dish with hardly any work. A hint of licorice from fennel accents the recipe. View Recipe 06 of 41 Bacon-Pear Macaroni and Cheese Crispy bacon, extra-creamy cheese sauce, pears sauteed in brown sugar and butter. It took our Test Kitchen three tries to get all the pieces right for this fall comfort food—but it was worth it. Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipes View Recipe 07 of 41 Flash-Braised Pork Chops with Apples and Cream Braising sounds slow, but it can be weeknight-fast. After a skillet sear, pork rib chops and apples simmer in cider for 10 minutes. A swirl of cream and Dijon makes a luscious pan gravy at the end. View Recipe 08 of 41 Spiced Wine-Braised Short Ribs Short ribs are a splurge, but the payoff is enormous-meltingly tender meat and big beef flavor in the mulled-wine-esque sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes or creamy polenta. If time allows, make this dish ahead; it's easier to skim the fat after it has chilled, and the flavor only gets better. View Recipe 09 of 41 Barbecue-Sauced Meat Loaf This easy, saucy meat loaf makes a quick weeknight dinner—and a great sandwich the next day! We love it between slices of whole wheat bread with banana peppers, lettuce, onion and extra barbecue sauce. View Recipe 10 of 41 Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin This easy, French-style upside-down apple tart relies on frozen puff pastry. The spice flavor comes from Chinese five-spice powder, a widely available blend with flavors of clove, black pepper and star anise. Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes View Recipe 11 of 41 Cinnamon Pretzels Sugary cinnamon meets salty pretzels in this super-easy, giftworthy snack mix. View Recipe 12 of 41 Roasted Broccoli with Pecorino and Lemon Roasting broccoli is a wonderful change from steaming or stir-frying, bringing out a sweetness and complexity you might not have known was there. A simple finish of bright lemon and salty cheese adds a burst of freshness and flavor. Best Roasted Vegetable Recipes View Recipe 13 of 41 Campanelle with Fennel, Leeks and Pecorino Brie Goldman Crisp breadcrumbs toasted in oil or butter are a popular pasta topping in parts of Italy. They're the perfect textural contrast to the meltingly sweet fennel and leeks in this comfort-food pasta recipe. View Recipe 14 of 41 Peanut Butter Buckeye Brownie Cheesecake Dawn Moore of Warren, Pennsylvania, grew up sampling buckeye candy from neighboring Ohio. It was the muse for this outrageously rich/recipe/peanut-butter-buckeye-brownie-cheesecake and creamy dessert she created. Rich and Creamy Cheesecakes View Recipe 15 of 41 Colossal Chili Long, slow simmering melds flavors in this recipe from the Spice House in Evanston, Illinois. Warm-You-Up Chili Recipes View Recipe 16 of 41 Blueberry Thunder Muffins A sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar gives a sweet crust to these berry-packed muffins. Quick-and-Easy Muffin Recipes View Recipe 17 of 41 Coffee Cake Ring Trust us! This cake is utterly addictive. Warm and Comforting Breakfast Breads View Recipe 18 of 41 Cinnamon-Spiced Beef Stroganoff A few pinches of pantry spices jazz up the traditional sour-cream gravy. This cozy weeknight dish dances on the line between comfort food and curry. View Recipe 19 of 41 Cinnamon Carrots with Maple Thyme Butter These sweet oven-roasted carrots are a perfect complement to a special occasion menu, but they're easy enough to be a weeknight side. This comfort food recipe comes from Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri. Good-For-You Carrot Recipes View Recipe 20 of 41 True Butterscotch Pie Rachel Marek / Kelsey Moylan The trick to the filling in this Iowa State Fair prizewinning recipe? Stirring and stirring while it cooks. The recipe comes from Louise Piper of Garner. Make Your Best Pie Ever View Recipe 21 of 41 Stuffed Italian Meatballs Spiced Italian sausage encases melty mozzarella cheese for meatballs perfect dipped in marinara sauce, stuffed into a calzone or plopped on top of spaghetti. View Recipe 22 of 41 Chinese Five-Spice Marinated Pork Satay Although it sounds like it would be burn-your-mouth-hot, the five-spice powder in this fall comfort food is actually a mild blend that commonly consists of star anise, anise seed, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. View Recipe 23 of 41 Pumpkin Chili This recipe, submitted by Melanie Madore of Ashland, Missouri, was a finalist in one of our recipe contests. Unlike many pumpkin chilis, what sets this one apart is using cubed pumpkin (or butternut squash) rather than canned. View Recipe 24 of 41 Valencia Delights Orange and chocolate: a cookie match that tempts everyone to take seconds. This recipe comes from Jill Drury in Milwaukee, who loved to bake cookies with her grandmother. "For the longest time I couldn't decide which cookie I liked best, until one day Grandma had me mix my favorite flavors: chocolate and orange," she says. The Midwest's Best Cookie Recipes View Recipe 25 of 41 Good Afternoon Burger Kelsey Hansen This recipe comes from Mustard Seed Kitchen in Chicago, where chef Erick Williams serves burgers that remind him of his childhood—thick, juicy and grilled. You may want to make a smaller patty, but don't skimp on the pickle mayo—it alone is a keeper. Take Your Burger to the Next Level View Recipe 26 of 41 Farmers Market Brownies Mix the ingredients and place in the oven as quickly as possible for best flavor. Fresh whipped cream and berries make great accompaniments. Rich, Moist Brownie Recipes View Recipe 27 of 41 Cranberry Sausage-Stuffed Pork Chops with Pumpkin Gravy This recipe from Linda Kay Drysdale of Riverview, Michigan, won the top prize in one of our Best of the Midwest recipe contests. Linda's recipe calls for chops cooked in a pressure cooker, which reduces cooking time to a fifth of the oven version. Watching calories? Half a chop satisfies most people. Best Pork Recipes View Recipe 28 of 41 War Eagle Mill Buttermilk Biscuits "My recipes are like my children. I'd hate to single one out as a favorite," says Zoe Caywood, who worked for many years as a miller at War Eagle Mill just east of Rogers, Arkansas. These biscuits are from one of Zoe's cookbooks. The recipe blends wheat and all-purpose flours for a fuller flavor than traditional biscuits. How to Bake the Best Rolls, Breads and Biscuits View Recipe 29 of 41 Hash Brown Casserole Here's a somewhat lightened version of a popular potato casserole recipe that's great for brunch, dinner or a potluck. Easy Potluck Recipes View Recipe 30 of 41 Porketta Roast Garlic and fennel flavor this dish with northern Minnesota heritage. View Recipe 31 of 41 Sassy Baked Beans Mix and match different kinds of beans and meat to suit your preferences. Our smoky-sweet baked beans will beat canned beans every time! Fall Side Dish Recipes You'll Love View Recipe 32 of 41 Cloverleaf Rolls These rich rolls with easy-to-handle dough won Best Bread of Show twice for state fair entrant Denise Turnbull of Monmouth, Illinois. View Recipe 33 of 41 Chicken and Corn Hash Brown Bake This comfort food hotdish offers a new twist on the usual hash brown casserole. Try it for everyday meals as well as potlucks! View Recipe 34 of 41 Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer Shape and bake the chicken meatballs ahead of time, then pop them in your slow cooker with cranberry and barbecue sauces. Irresistible Slow-Cooker Appetizers View Recipe 35 of 41 Spiced Pumpkin Bisque The Inn at Irish Hollow in Galena, Illinois, serves this creamy, curried soup throughout the fall and winter. You can make your own crème fraîche for the garnish, or use purchased crème fraiche or sour cream. View Recipe 36 of 41 Caramel Heavenlies Graham crackers form the base for this bar cookie with layers of marshmallows, brown sugar, almonds and coconut. Our Best Bar Cookies View Recipe 37 of 41 Smoked Barbecue Ribs Minneapolis amateur barbecue competitor David Fries shares his recipe for succulent smoked ribs. View Recipe 38 of 41 Ozark Blackberry Cobbler A sugared crispy pastry covers sweet juicy berries in this traditional dessert from the Monte Ne Inn near Rogers, Arkansas. View Recipe 39 of 41 Grilled Sirloin Kabobs with Zesty Top City Sauce Joann Gough-Stallbaumer of Topeka uses Kansas top sirloin steak and a horseradish-mayo dipping sauce in her prizewinning recipe. View Recipe 40 of 41 Spiced Pecan Sweet Potato Cake Deborah Biggs of Omaha completes this amazingly moist dessert with Maple Whipped Cream. Ultimate Cake Recipes View Recipe 41 of 41 Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza We love Chicago's deep-dish pizza, but when you want to make it at home rather than eat out, here's the recipe you need, with yeasty crust, spicy sausage and tomato topping. Homemade Pizza Recipes View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit