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    Guilt-Free and Delicious: 75 Comfort Food Recipes Under 500 Calories

    75 Comfort Food Recipes Under 500 Calories | If you're craving comfort food without the guilt, this post is for you! We've curated the best healthy, low calorie comfort food recipes, allowing you to enjoy your favorite meals without sabotaging your weight loss goals. From vegan and vegetarian comfort foods loaded with plant-based protein, to crockpot and casserole dishes that are easy to whip up, to our favorite guilt-free desserts, these comfort food ideas will not disappoint!

    As the days get colder and the nights get darker, there’s nothing better than sitting down to a rich, hearty meal. The satisfaction you feel from eating comfort food is hard to beat – there’s nothing quite like digging into a bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese, or indulging in a big bowl of curry. The only downside about comfort food is how it can make you feel after you eat it. With so many rich ingredients and calories, comfort food guilt is real, but we’ve rounded up comfort food recipes that are healthy, while still being incredibly delicious. Take a look at 75 comfort food recipes under 500 calories, so you can enjoy them guilt-free!

    5 Tips for Making Comfort Food Recipes Healthier

    1. Pack in the Veggies and Greens
    Adding vegetables and greens to your comfort food recipes is one of the easiest ways to make your meals healthier. While classic comfort food recipes consist of lots of pasta, cheese, meats and creams, skip the meat and replace it with lots of veggies, or add extra greens into your favourite cheesy pasta dish. Spinach, sweet potato, eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms are veggies that work seamlessly with more hearty meals.

    2. Season Your Veggies
    If you’re going to be swapping your meat with veggies, you should be seasoning your veggies like you would the meat to ensure they boast the amazing flavours you’re used to. Marinate your veggies and roast them at high heat so all the marinade’s flavour soaks in and they become tender and caramelized.

    3. Healthy Substitutes for Cream
    If your comfort food recipe requires you to make a decadent cream sauce, make it healthier by swapping out the heavy cream. In its place, you can use evaporated skim milk, soy creamer, coconut cream, cashew cream, silken tofu or oat milk. These will all give you the rich, creamy texture you’re looking for without all the calories.

    4. Consider Your Cheese Options
    Cheese is a quintessential ingredient in many comfort food recipes, so try to make smart cheese choices whenever you can. Using more flavourful cheeses, like blue cheese, goat cheese and Gruyère means you don’t have to use as much of them. When using cheeses that pack a punch, you’ll need to use less cheese overall since the flavour will be more distinct, resulting in less calories.

    5. Use Healthier Pasta Substitutes
    There’s nothing better than a good comfort food pasta recipe. While white pasta may taste delicious, you can make your dish healthier by using a nutritious pasta substitute such as quinoa pasta, whole wheat pasta, zucchini noodles or squash noodles. This way you can enjoy your pasta dishes without the guilt!

    15 Vegan Comfort Food Recipes Under 500 Calories

    1. Vegan Cornbread Pot Pies | The Fitchen
    2. Vegan Fried Green Tomato Sandwich | Notions and Notations of a Novice Cook
    3. Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits and County Gravy | The Simple Veganista
    4. Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry | Eating Well
    5. Spinach, Sweet Potato and Lentil Dhal | BBC Good Food
    6. Thyme and White Bean Pot Pies | Minimalist Baker
    7. Spinach, Chickpea and Potato Curry | Olive Magazine
    8. Chickpea Burgers with Tahini Sauce | Fat Free Vegan
    9. Thai Spaghetti Squash with Peanut Sauce | Eating Well
    10. Lentil and Cauliflower Curry | BBC Good Food
    11. Masala Khichdi |Holy Cow Vegan
    12. Vegan Aubergine Dhansak | Olive Magazine
    13. Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers | Eating Well
    14. Healthy Vegan Chia Waffles | Holy Cow Vegan
    15. Vegan Chilli Tofu Ramen | Olive Magazine

    15 Vegetarian Comfort Food Recipes Under 500 Calories

    1. Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms | Eating Well
    2. Mexican Bean Soup with Guacamole | BBC Good Food
    3. Butternut Squash Risotto | Skinnytaste
    4. Chunky Vegetarian Chilli | A Saucy Kitchen
    5. Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas and Spinach | Eating Well
    6. Creamy Tomato Risotto | BBC Good Food
    7. Skinny Cauliflower Mac and Cheese | Damn Delicious
    8. Mushroom Shawarma with Yogurt Tahini Sauce | Eating Well
    9. Gluten Free Grilled Cheese Hummus Sandwich with Pumpkin | Food, Faith, Fitness
    10. Indian Butternut Squash Curry | BBC Good Food
    11. Mushroom Bourguignon | The Iron You
    12. Lentil Bowls with Fried Eggs and Greens | Eating Well
    13. Sweet Potato Gnocchi | Live, Eat, Learn
    14. Hearty Vegetable Lasagna | All Recipes
    15. Moroccan Vegetarian Tagine | Olive Magazine

    15 Casserole Comfort Food Recipes Under 500 Calories

    1. Chicken and Mushroom Casserole | Mangeons
    2. Vegetarian Broccoli-Artichoke Casserole | Cooking Light
    3. Ground Beef and Pasta Casserole | My Recipes
    4. Sausage Lover’s Hash Brown Casserole | Meal Prep on Fleek
    5. Chicken Taco Casserole | Slap Dash Mom
    6. Tuna Noodle Casserole | Cooking Light
    7. Black Bean and Butternut Squash Casserole | Julia’s Album
    8. Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie | Hungry Girl
    9. Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Casserole | I Food Real
    10. Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Casserole | Cooking Light
    11. Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole | Give Recipe
    12. Skinny Cheeseburger Casserole | Skinny Taste
    13. Spiralized Zucchini Casserole with Red Peppers, Spinach and Artichokes | Food Faith Fitness
    14. Smoked Salmon Breakfast Casserole | Cooking Light
    15. Teriyaki, Chicken and Rice Casserole | Emily Bites

    15 Crockpot Comfort Food Recipes Under 500 Calories

    1. Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup | The Skinny Fork
    2. Dairy Free Butter Chicken | Nutrition in the Kitch
    3. Chana Masala | Slender Kitchen
    4. Cozy Chicken Noodle Soup | Eat This, Not That
    5. German Schnitzel | Skinny MS
    6. Low-Calorie Pineapple Chicken | The Spruce Eats
    7. Pumpkin Chicken Chilli | Made by Moni
    8. Crockpot Beef Ragu | Eat This, Not That
    9. Slow-Cooked Lemon Chicken | Taste of Home
    10. Eggplant Lasagna | Skinny MS
    11. Nutritionist-Approved Lentil Soup | ShareCare
    12. Hearty Asian Beef Noodle Soup | Eat This, Not That
    13. Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken | Rachel Cooks
    14. Healthy Taco Casserole | Slow Cooker Gourmet
    15. Crockpot Italian Meatballs | Eat This, Not That

    15 Dessert Comfort Food Recipes Under 500 Calories

    1. Healthy Nutella Brownies | Foodie Fiasco
    2. Dark Chocolate Turtles | Nutritionist in the Kitch
    3. 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Donuts | The Skinny Fork
    4. Low Calorie Peach Cobbler | Health Beet
    5. Mexican Churros | Under 500 Calories
    6. Chocolate Decadence | Health
    7. Coconut Cream Pie | My Recipes
    8. Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits | My Fitness Pal
    9. Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies | Under 500 Calories
    10. Chocolate Fudge Pie | Health
    11. Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse | My Recipes
    12. Banana S’mores Cookies | Under 500 Calories
    13. Mint Coconut Banana Cream Pies | My Fitness Pal
    14. Chocolate Chunk Bread Puddings | Health
    15. Chocolate Chip Cheesecake | My Recipes

    Comfort food recipes are key as we head into the winter season. Enjoy your comfort food guilt-free with these tips and recipes under 500 calories!