5 Comfort Food Dinners That Practically Cook Themselves (Supper Made Simple 17)

Some nights you just need dinner to be easy, and that’s where these five recipes come in handy. This week’s meal plan includes slow cooker classics like pork and beans, Hawaiian pineapple chicken, and oven-baked sticky ribs. These comfort food dinners let your kitchen do most of the work while you focus on the things that matter most.

Plus, we make it simple by providing you with a downloadable grocery list, allowing you to head straight to the grocery store.

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The Best Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole with Green Beans: A Comfort Food Classic

Slow cooker tater tot casserole with green beans is an easy, hearty, and tasty dish that even your pickiest eaters will love. The creamy, cheesy, beefy recipe is topped with crispy tots and is pure comfort in a dish.

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Slow Cooker BBQ Pork and Beans – Easy & Hearty Comfort Food

Slow cooker pork and beans are made up of simple pantry ingredients that are filling, budget-friendly, and popular with the entire family. And the sweet, smoky, hearty, dump-and-go BBQ pork and beans practically make themselves.

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Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken & Veggie Soup | Easy Comfort Food

Slow cooker chicken and vegetable soup features buttery yellow potatoes, broccoli, onions, chicken broth, and heavy cream for a rich and creamy soup.

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Pork ribs on a cutting board next to cornbread.

Oven Baked Sticky Pork Ribs

Oven baked sticky pork ribs are easy enough to make often and delicious enough to feel like a night out. The recipe only requires five ingredients but comes out tender and packed with flavor.

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Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken

Craving a taste of the tropics? This Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken is a delicious and easy meal that’s perfect for busy days! Tender chicken and sweet pineapple chunks simmer together to create a mouthwatering dish.

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Make Ahead Tips

These recipes are easy to make in advance to make dinner time much easier.

Tater-Tot Casserole with Green Beans – Assemble the beef, soup, and green bean mixture up to a day ahead and keep it refrigerated. When you’re ready, just pour it into the slow cooker and top with tater tots.
BBQ Pork and Beans – This is a true “set it and forget it” recipe. You can prep the ingredients in the morning and let the slow cooker handle the rest.
Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Soup – Chop onions, wash baby potatoes, and measure out frozen broccoli in advance to make prep a breeze. Everything can be bagged and ready to dump straight into the slow cooker.
Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken – With only three ingredients, this one is ideal for make-ahead. You can bag the chicken, pineapple, and sauce together and refrigerate until ready to cook. Then, when you are ready to start the slow cooker, just dump it all in.
Oven-baked sticky Ribs are best made the day you plan to serve them.

Storage And Reheating Instructions

If you have any leftovers, keep them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to three days.

Tater Tot Casserole – Reheat in a microwave-safe dish for 2–3 minutes or until heated through.
BBQ Pork and Beans – Add the pork and beans to a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and cook until hot. Bring the temp to about 165°F.
Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Soup – Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for three minutes.
Oven-Baked Sticky Ribs – Wrap in foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15–30 minutes, or until warmed through.
Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken – Reheat in a microwave-safe dish with a splash of water or broth for 2–3 minutes or until hot.

Love these five comfort food recipes that just about cook themselves? When you’re running on fumes, these dinner recipes when you’re too tired will save the day without much effort.