How to make the cosiest comfort dishes on a budget

At this time of year, when temperatures are low and daylight is dwindling, our comfort food cravings really kick in. But what are the most comforting foods and how can we dial up their satisfaction levels?

The weather outside is frightful, but eating soup on the sofa is so delightful. This is the season when comfort food really comes into its own. And while our preferred comfort dishes are personal to each of us (they usually depend on childhood memories or other positive associations, as well as where we’re from), there are a few that lots of people agree on.

To find out what some of the most popular comfort foods are among our readers, we asked you for your favourites – and we had a lot of responses.

We combed through them all to work out the most-loved dishes, then asked the experts for advice on doing them justice in the kitchen, easily and affordably. (If you didn’t get to have your say on Facebook, vote in our poll below!)

Hearty soups

From thick, almost stew-like beef goulash (gulyas leves), to creamy cauliflower cheese, there are so many ways to go when it comes to soup.

Dean Parker of Celentano’s in Glasgow is all about a flavour-packed broth. “A hearty miso soup is one of my favourite things to cook at the end of a long week in the kitchen. I tend to just throw in whatever veg is left to reduce any potential waste and save a bit of cash.

“All you need is an onion, garlic, miso paste and any vegetables you’ve got. I tend to bulk mine out with whatever low-cost carbs I have in – whether that be brown rice or noodles – and add in a little white fish or chicken for a bit of extra protein if I have any.”

Protein can also come in the form of pluses and legumes. Not only will these bulk out a soup to make it more filling, but they’ll also up the nutritional value, making your meal into even more of a hug for the insides.

Colin Nicholson, chef at Mingary Castle in Ardnamurchan says, “My favourite pulses are lentils, butter beans and chickpeas. They add depth to your soup and also give you a bigger yield on a small budget.”

There’s perhaps nothing less satisfying than a lacklustre soup that doesn’t deliver on flavour. When it comes to creating that depth and savouriness that’s so important, budget cooking expert Fliss Freeborn has a cheap and easy tactic.

“Make sure you use onions and get them lovely and soft before you add anything else in.”

Letting them cook gently for as long as you’re able will concentrate their flavour and see them caramelise deliciously. That’s how soups like this impossibly simple five-ingredient French onion soup pack such a punch.

The most important ingredient here is time: “The longer you spend cooking them and building that flavour, the better,” says Freeborn.

Stews and casseroles

Stews and casseroles are mainstays of the winter dinner table. Often cooked low and slow, they tend to be deeply flavoured and tender in texture. To really crank up the comfort factor, try serving them with dumplings.

These squidgy, doughy treats are surprisingly easy to make. Mix self-raising flour and shredded suet (with a ratio 2:1) and add a pinch of salt. Slowly add water until you have a soft dough. Then, roll into balls before arranging on top of your casserole and cooking in the oven.

You could add herbs to your dough for an extra kick of flavour, if you like. This slow cooker chicken casserole has sage-flecked dumplings, while this vegetable stew features tarragon in its doughy topping.

As for the stew itself, the most budget friendly options are vegetable and lentil versions, which can be just as hearty and satisfying as meaty alternatives.

Nicholson says it is possible to use meat without pushing the cost up too much, though. “The best thing to do is ask your local butcher for cheaper cuts which you can slow cook. My favourites include pork shoulder, beef chucks, beef short ribs, beef feather blade and lamb shoulder. These are all great for slow cooking and can be bulked out with budget-friendly vegetables.”

Freeborn has another flavour-boosting tip here, too. “A quick way of making any stew taste nice and rich is to add a few tinned anchovies at the beginning with the onions.” They will almost melt down during the cook, lacing your stew with umami flavour.

For a vegan flavour bomb, “Add a good spoon of yeast extract to your stew,” says chef Ben Ambridge of The Fox’s Revenge in Cornwall. “It will give you a great depth of flavour.”

Curries

Curries also proved popular for when you want a warming meal to hunker down with.

“They are wallet-friendly, great for feeding a crowd and filling, especially when served with naan and rice. You can also freeze batches for future meals,” says Rohit Ghai, chef and founder of Manthan in Mayfair and Kutir in Chelsea.

“Frozen vegetables, cheaper cuts of meat and store-cupboard pulses are naturally cheap and always happy in a curry. By adding a handful of spices or a spoonful of curry paste you can create something really special. Experiment with different types of spices – garam masala is one of the most flavourful and popular.”

One of Ghai’s favourite comfort dishes is chicken curry. “The secret is to prep your meat properly: marinate it for at least 30 minutes. I always cut my chicken into small chunks (around 3cm) for a tender and juicy finish, too.

“Your curry base should follow this guide: first, heat oil and then add whole spices and fry until fragrant. Add chopped onions and cook until browned before getting ground spices, salt, ginger, garlic and green chillies involved. Mix well and cook for 30 seconds to one minute, ensuring the whole spices don’t burn.”

Then it’s a case of adding your protein and liquids, and letting it all simmer until full of flavour.

Pies

Serve these pastry-encased comfort food classics atop a mountain of mash with lashings of gravy and you’ve got a cold weather winner.

Choose a creamy filling like potato, leek and cheese or traditional chicken, or go rich and meaty with a classic steak, mushroom and ale option or a veggie, mushroom and ale alternative.

To keep time and effort to a minimum, you can buy ready-rolled pastry but Freeborn likes to make her own to keep spend down. “You can make shortcrust pastry with lard and plain flour for around a fifth of the cost of buying it – and it doesn’t take long. Blitz a 1:2 ratio of fat and flour (eg 50g lard and 100g flour) until you have a fine breadcrumb-like texture, then bind with a few tablespoons of cold water before forming into a ball. Refrigerate for at least half an hour before rolling out and using to top your filling in a pie dish.”

The unexpected comfort dishes

Liver and onions

Considering how divisive liver tends to be, we were quite surprised to see it mentioned so much in our comments. But chef Scott Smith from Fhior in Edinburgh needs no convincing of its comforting potential.

To get the most out of it, “soak the liver in milk for an hour or two before you cook it – this helps to draw out the bitter flavour that a lot of people can find off-putting. Dry it well on kitchen towel before cooking to ensure a nice golden colour.”

As for the onions, “I like to cook them low and slow,” says chef, teacher and author, Charlotte Pike. “I allow around half an hour of gentle cooking and stirring to let them to become silky and sticky, but without burning. This releases their sweetness and complexity of flavour, which really helps to elevate this dish.”

Another popular choice is to add bacon into the mix, something The Hairy Bikers do in their rich and moreish recipe for liver and onions.

Corned beef hash

Corned beef might not be en vogue in 2023, but it was a staple part of many of our childhoods in the UK, which explains its presence on this list.

While the versions of corned beef hash we used to eat as youngsters may have demonstrated varying levels of quality in terms of execution and ingredients (no offence, parents), now that we’re old enough to make our own, we can really take this retro dinner to the next level.

“Corned beef hash will benefit from using a great floury potato,” says Pike. “Try Maris Piper, King Edward or Desirée. I like to add plenty of black pepper to the potato for balance, too.

“I also cook the corned beef over a high temperature until it gets nice and crispy around the edges – this adds great texture to contrast with the soft mash.”

Another way to up the ante is to serve with fried or poached eggs on top – complete with oozing yolk, of course.

Originally published November 2023