While spring is approaching, many of us are still in the thick of winter…aka cold and flu season. But winter is also the season of all things comfort food—dishes often filled with hearty, rich, and typically carb-heavy ingredients.
Despite being typecast as ‘unhealthy’ there are actually plenty of classic comfort food recipes that can be tweaked slightly to boost our immune health. This satisfies both our hearty food cravings *and* our immune-boosting needs during winter, helping us to fight off all the pesky illnesses lurking around (seemingly) every corner in the tastiest way possible.
Here I’ve rounded up 25 delicious and nutritious comfort food recipes—many of which are revised takes on the classics—that will be sure to bolster your immune response and help you stay healthy through the last bit of winter.
25 Immune-Boosting Comfort Food Recipes
If your go-to comfort food is a loaded Italian sub with all the fixings, then this version is sure to not only satisfy that craving but boost your immune system in the process. This recipe uses only turkey-based deli meats, including turkey pepperoni, to cut down on some of the saturated fat that Italian sandwich classics like salami, pork-based pepperoni, and capicola tend to have more of. Protein options like nitrate-free deli turkey is a crucial nutrient for our immune system as it’s the building blocks for many immune system cells including cytokines and antibodies.
Chili is the perfect dish to warm up after a long, cold day. However, it’s often made with red meat, whose saturated fat content, when eaten frequently, can take a toll on our immune health. (And, the production of red meat has shown to contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.) There’s next-to-no saturated fat in this veggie-forward chili made with black beans, chicken breast, and an array of veggies full of inflammation-reducing antioxidants.
A steaming dish of lasagna ranks high on my comfort food favorites list but the classic version usually boasts high amounts of saturated fats from cheese and red meat. This vegetarian lasagna cuts way down on saturated fat thanks to low-fat dairy and the elimination of meat but is also low on gluten with the substitution of zucchini for pasta. In turn, this recipe is loaded with fiber, particularly soluble fiber, that feeds the microbes in the gut microbiome—a colony of over a trillion microorganisms living (largely) in the colon that is very closely tied to immune health.
Minestrone soup is one of the few comfort dishes that already measures up pretty well in terms of overall goodness and immune support. This is thanks to the impressive amount of veggies found in just one bowl. Plus, this soup is tomato-based and, therefore, chock-full of immune-boosting vitamin C.
Whether they’re served in a hoagie roll, hearty soup, swimming in gravy, or atop pasta, meatballs equal instant comfort for many of us. This turkey-based meatball recipe using 93 percent lean ground turkey comes into play in your favorite sauce or soup for an immunity-boost thanks to its low fat and high protein content. Bonus points if you serve it with fiber-rich whole wheat pasta or zoodles.
Burritos hit the spot any time of day or night, but can often leave us feeling uncomfortably full for several hours after the fact thanks to the heavier protein and carbs they contain, with little fiber-supporting veggies in sight. While this veggie burrito recipe does include a little cheese, white rice, and flour tortillas, it well makes up for it with the sheer amount of vegetables it boasts. These veggies, including cauliflower, bell pepper, and onion, are packed with plant compounds, or phytonutrients, which are known to reduce inflammation and modulate the immune response.
Savory umami flavor equals comfort in my book, and this miso salmon bowl recipe brings exactly that! The miso paste in the dressing of this bowl recipe is full of probiotics which can help to increase the population of healthy bacteria in the gut microbiome, boosting overall immune function. It doesn’t hurt that this dish is loaded with fiber and plant compound-rich veggies like edamame, cabbage, avocado, and shiitake mushrooms, either.
If fried foods are your number one comfort grab, look no further than these easy, two-ingredient sweet potato fritters, made of just egg and sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of vitamin A, with one cup of skin-on baked sweet potato offering over 200 percent of your daily needs. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that has been shown to incite antibody responses in the body, kicking your immune system into high gear.
Stuffed peppers are hearty, filling, and definitely in the comfort food family. This recipe includes fiber-rich brown rice and a range of veggies including onion, tomato, beans, cilantro, and garlic. Garlic is one of the most infamous immune-supportive ingredients, thanks to bioactive compounds it contains. These have been found to exhibit antimicrobial properties and spring several types of immune cells into action.
Few things beat a hot pizza pie after a long work week. The cheese, meat, and carbohydrate crust of this Italian favorite—however delicious—don’t quite add to my immune-boosting standards. This gluten-free version made with cauliflower crust certainly does, however! The pie is topped with sliced mushrooms, which can be natural sources of vitamin D when grown with ultraviolet (UV) light. Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient for maintaining homeostasis within the immune system. You can even opt for plant-based cheese to cut down on the saturated fat.
Nachos on game day or at happy hour bring plenty of comfort but (often) little added nutrition. Well, that certainly isn’t the case with these loaded nachos that use vitamin A- and C-rich baked sweet potato rounds in place of tortilla chips. This recipe also features lentils, which, besides being filling, are rich in zinc, an antioxidant mineral that helps the body fight off illness like the common cold.
If you’re a parent, or know a parent, then you’re likely aware of how much comfort chicken tenders bring to kiddos (and adults). But chicken tenders are typically deep fried and heavily breaded, increasing their caloric load without much added nutrition. This recipe reduces calories through baking with a small amount of inflammation-reducing olive oil instead of frying, and just so happens to be gluten-free for those who avoid wheat for whatever reason.
If you did a poll of top comfort food favorites, mac and cheese would definitely be near the top of that list. This recipe is a protein-boosted version of the classic thanks to its use of fiber-rich chickpea pasta, probiotic cottage cheese, low-fat dairy, and white cheddar, bringing serious flavor amongst these swaps.
Speaking of noodles, a big bowl of noodles, especially with East-Asian flavors, is a comfort food I often crave. This nourishing sesame soba noodle recipe checks all the immune health boxes as a veggie-forward, fiber-rich dish packed with flavor. This recipe also includes ginger, a well-known immunomodulator (something that can alter your immune system) that is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory.
This version of enchiladas employs the use of whole wheat tortillas, plenty of nutrient-rich veggies, and a little less cheese. Plus, it also packs the heat thanks to capsaicin-rich chipotle peppers. Capsaicin (the compound that makes peppers hot) majorly boosts our immune health. In fact, research has shown it to be effective in supporting healing ailments like a stuffy nose.
If decadent Asian food is your guilty pleasure, then this teriyaki chicken stir-fry will be sure to feel comforting after a long day. This recipe features all the immune-boosting heavy hitters including garlic, ginger, protein from chicken breast, and a range of micronutrients and fiber from veggies like bell pepper, snap peas, broccoli, asparagus, green onions, and water chestnuts.
No comfort food list would be complete without chicken noodle soup, and this recipe is a super satisfying take that includes everything you’d expect from the classic dish including chicken, celery, carrots, onion, fresh herbs, and a nourishing broth. Interestingly, chicken is a fantastic source of selenium, an antioxidant mineral that modulates the immune system. For an added immune boost, sub the egg noodles in this recipe for whole wheat pasta.
Barbecue sandwiches are undoubtedly comforting but often made with sugar-rich sauces that can increase inflammation. That’s where this creative barbecue sandwich alternative using crispy tofu and low-sugar barbecue sauce comes in. This sando also includes a delicious micronutrient-rich slaw, which in combination with the tofu, packs plenty of immune-boosting fiber.
If you’re a Japanese food fan, this miso-glazed cod might be your perfect immune-boosting comfort food dish. Not only is it high in protein and probiotics, thanks to the cod and white miso paste, but it’s also served alongside a delicious sesame soy quinoa. Quinoa is rich in the plant compound quercetin which activates the immune response and can even inhibit histamine release for those with allergies.
For those who prefer a burrito bowl over a handheld burrito, this recipe is for you. It bolsters the immune response through fiber and protein-rich black beans and a range of veggies full of micronutrients and plant compounds. To get even more immunity bang for your buck, load up your bowl with vitamin A- and C-rich bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, and avocado.
While salmon may not always be what you feel like making when a cold is coming on, it should be! This is because it’s full of omega-3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation in the body and activate immune cells. Plus, this recipe features garlic, fresh herbs, and avocado oil—all ingredients to reach for when immune health is top priority.
When I’m craving comfort food, buffalo chicken is definitely one of my top choices. This sheet pan buffalo chicken and sweet potato bowl recipe takes easiness to the next level with a handful of immune-boosting swaps, all on one sheet pan. These include oven baked chicken breast, heaps of roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes, and a Greek yogurt-based crunchy coleslaw filled with even more fiber and phytonutrients.
This immune-bolstering recipe is for all the Thai food lovers out there. It has all the classic curry flavors and includes veggies like cauliflower, butternut squash, peas, and spinach. Plus, it also has turmeric—an immune health powerhouse. This brightly colored spice contains the bioactive compound curcumin which has the ability to ward off oxidative compounds at the root of many illnesses and reduces inflammation.
A creamy pasta is just what the doctor ordered when comfort food is on the menu. And when trying to improve immunity, and maybe impress a guest or two, this recipe is the perfect choice. This is thanks to the fiber-rich chickpea pasta, high-protein chicken breast, and low-fat and probiotic cottage cheese it features. It also includes spinach, which is full of iron—a mineral shown to help regulate the immune system.
Cottage cheese is so profoundly buzzworthy these days—mostly because of its high protein content. However, it also boosts immune health through its probiotics content. This sauce recipe cuts down on the saturated fat of traditional alfredos through using a mix of almond milk and cottage cheese in place of heavy cream and an array of full-fat cheeses. Toss this sauce with zoodles, whole wheat pasta, and roasted vegetables, or even use it as pizza sauce!
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Plant-based cook and health coach Lily Kunin is the founder of Clean Food Dirty City and the author of the cookbook Good Clean Food. With her trademark less-is-more approach, Kunin is all about making irresistibly clean, wholesome food—using dairy-free and gluten-free ingredients.
