Cozy Up with These Hearty Family Dinners

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Stew season doesn’t check the calendar—it shows up when you’re hungry and need something bold. Whether it’s a ladleful of Farm to Table Thick Beef Stew, a bubbling Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew, or that stick-to-your-ribs Copycat Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole, these meals know how to bring the cozy. You’ll want seconds (or thirds) of the Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash, sink into a bowl of Lamb Stew (Irish Stew), and let Beef Tips in Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce rescue you from boring dinners. Oh, and the Chicken on the Ritz Casserole? It’s basically what happens when comfort and crunch fall in love. Ready to fill your bowl?

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

overhead of serving of slow cooker beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes.
Photo credit: The Magical Slow Cooker

Classic French comfort made easy—let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting on this red wine–braised beauty.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Sweet Potato Chili

A bowl of sweet potato chili with black beans.
Photo credit: Culinary Hill

A meatless chili that pulls no punches—this one’s loaded with black beans, warm spices, and chunky sweet potatoes for a full-flavored bowl with zero fuss.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Chili

Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash

goulash on a wooden spoon.
Photo credit: The Magical Slow Cooker

Thick-cut beef and soft vegetables soak up all the paprika-rich goodness in this classic goulash that your slow cooker was born to make.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash

Beef Tips in Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce

A dinner plate loaded with mashed potatoes and beef tips in brown gravy with mushrooms.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Silky, savory, and ready in 30 minutes—this stew-adjacent meal smothers tender beef in a creamy mushroom sauce that’s perfect over rice or mashed potatoes.

GET THE RECIPE: Beef Tips

The Best Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings in a bowl.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Fluffy drop dumplings, rich broth, and tender chicken—this Southern icon needs no introduction, just a spoon.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken and Dumplings

“Chicken on The Ritz” Casserole

A spoonful of chicken casserole with a Ritz cracker topping.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

This creamy, crunchy, shortcut-friendly casserole is made for busy nights—and yes, the Ritz crackers make it magic.

GET THE RECIPE: Ritz Cracker Chicken

Lamb Stew (Irish Stew)

Lamb stew in a bowl.
Photo credit: Downshiftology

Root veggies and tender lamb team up for a deeply nourishing stew that’ll warm you all the way to your toes.
Get the Recipe: Lamb Stew (Irish Stew)

Copycat Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole

A plate of scrambled eggs and hot sausage biscuit and gravy casserole.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Turn your breakfast into a full-blown event with this savory, sausage-loaded casserole layered with biscuits and love.

GET THE RECIPE: Biscuit and Gravy Casserole

Best Southern Corn Pudding

A baked casserole dish filled with a golden-brown mixture of diced vegetables, corn, and herbs, topped with fresh thyme and green onions, on a wooden surface.
Photo Credit: Not Entirely Average

Baked until golden and gloriously creamy, this Southern corn pudding is the kind of side that shows up for ham, turkey, and every comfort craving in between.

Get the Recipe: Best Southern Corn Pudding

Carne Picada

carne picada.
Photo credit: The Big Man’s World

Tender shredded beef, bold spices, and a splash of lime make this quick Mexican stew a flavor-packed favorite for tacos or bowls.
Get the Recipe: Carne Picada

Catfish Stew

Close up of a large pot of catfish stew, featuring chunks of catfish, diced tomatoes, bacon pieces, potatoes, and a rich, seasoned broth
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Southern-style stew loaded with chunky catfish, bold broth, and plenty of vegetables—serve with cornbread and a cold drink.
Get the Recipe: Catfish Stew

Booyah Stew

Booyah stew in a Dutch oven.
Photo credit: Culinary Hill

A beef and chicken combo brings bold Midwest energy to this chunky, meaty stew that’s perfect for chilly days or tailgate spreads.
Get the Recipe: Booyah Stew

Authentic Dublin Coddle

A Dutch oven filled with Irish pork sausage and potato stew.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Sausage, potatoes, onions—this traditional Irish stew has comfort in every bite and makes weeknight cooking downright poetic.

GET THE RECIPE: Dublin Coddle

Georgian Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Herbs

An aerial view of Georgian Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Herbs in a dutch oven.
Photo credit: House of Nash Eats

Bright with tomatoes and herbs, this chicken stew from Georgia (the country!) is perfect with naan or rice.
Get the Recipe: Georgian Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Herbs

Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew Recipe

Bean stew with sausage and pork and beef.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Smoked meats, white beans, and a tomato-rich base come together in this rustic French-inspired stew that eats like a special occasion.

GET THE RECIPE: Cassoulet

One Pot Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato & Couscous

Moroccan chicken stew in a large bowl with a wooden spoon
Photo credit: Ambitious Kitchen

Sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and warm Moroccan spices make this one-pot wonder both healthy and comforting.
Get the Recipe: One Pot Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato & Couscous

French Onion Noodle Casserole

A bowl of French onion noodles alongside creamy Swedish meatballs.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Six ingredients. Maximum flavor. This quick bake delivers creamy noodles kissed with sweet onion goodness.

GET THE RECIPE: French Onion Noodles

Beef and Sour Cream Noodle Casserole

Beef and noodle casserole in a baking dish.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Noodles, ground beef, sausage, and a creamy tang from sour cream—this is baked comfort food done right.

GET THE RECIPE: Beef Noodle Casserole

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About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

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