Long weekends are made for slowing down – and turning up the comfort. With extra time to linger in the kitchen and cooler days setting the mood, it’s the perfect excuse to cook up some comfort food. But finding the energy to map out three whole days of meals can feel more like a headache than a holiday. Take the guesswork out of your long weekend line-up with dishes that gently bubble away on the stove, roasts that fill the house with irresistible aromas and recipes worth gathering around the table for.
Whether you’re cooking for family, friends or just yourself, there’s nothing better than indulging in feel-good food. From slow-simmered classics to oven-baked favourites, we’ve rounded up our go‑to comfort food recipes to inspire your next weekend’s cook‑up.
10 comfort food dishes we’re loving
These generous Italian-style meatballs from the Clove app are slow-simmered in rich tomato sauce until tender. Spoon over mounds of pasta or mop it up with crusty bread. Perfect for family feasts over the weekend and you’ll have plenty of leftovers for the freezer.
This caramelised roast pork, scented with five spice and fresh ginger, delivers crisp crackling and succulent meat, making it an impressive yet comforting centrepiece for long, leisurely weekend meals together.
This self-saucing orange pudding delivers cosy comfort with minimal effort, baked until light on top and molten beneath, making it the perfect sweet ending to a relaxed weekend meal.
Golden, crisp and fluffy inside, these classic roast potatoes from the Women’s Weekly kitchen are the ultimate weekend side dish. They’re perfect alongside roasts or enjoyed on their own, straight from the oven with salty crunch guaranteed.
Fragrant, gently spiced and deeply comforting, this fish curry from MasterChef winner Justin Narayan is ideal for relaxed weekend cooking. It’s simmered in a rich sauce and served with rice for an easy crowd-pleasing meal.
This comforting chicken, leek and quinoa soup is perfect weekend fare, delivering warmth and nourishing comfort in every bowl, ideal for slow cooking, cosy lunches or easy dinners at home.
This vegie curry from Christine Mansfield is pure comfort cooking, perfect for slow, relaxed weekends, simmered until fragrant and hearty, and served with rice for an easy, warming vegetarian meal.
Creamy, comforting and hearty, this chicken, bacon and corn chowder is ideal for cosy weekend cooking, delivering rich flavour, warming comfort and an easy one-pot meal everyone will love.
This pink lady apple and cherry pie is comfort baking at its best, perfect for relaxed weekends, with sweet-tart fruit and flaky pastry, served warm with a generous dollop of cream or custard. Plus, it uses frozen cherries so it can be made all year round!
Cooler nights call for comfort dessert. This steamed chocolate pudding hides molten swirls of dulce de leche and crunchy peanut butter, and is served warm with a dollop of thick cream.
