Rice/6 recipes

Hearty slow cooker spaghetti sauce loaded with ground beef, mushrooms, bell peppers, and Italian herbs. Simmer it low and slow for rich, restaurant-quality marinara.

Loaded potato and buffalo chicken casserole piles spicy roasted potatoes with hot-sauce-marinated chicken, then a loaded topping of cheese, bacon, and green onion. A bold, hearty bake that eats like buffalo wings and loaded fries in one dish.

Golden pan-fried tofu simmered in a rustic Provencal tomato sauce with green beans, garlic, basil, and oregano. French-inspired, vegan, and on the table in 30 minutes.

Baked spinach artichoke dip lightened with sour cream instead of mayo and cream cheese, warmed with a hint of nutmeg, and topped with bubbly mozzarella and parmesan. A hot, cheesy crowd favorite.

Hearty three-bean chili con carne with lean beef, roasted peppers, and warm spices for crowd-pleasing game day dinners that serve 12 from one pot.

Good wintertime meal. Serve with crusty French baguette to sop up the gravy.

Sicilian-style jumbo shrimp baked in Marsala wine with plum tomatoes, pine nuts, currants, capers, and fennel, finished with grated pecorino. A rustic Italian seafood dish in 35 minutes.

Shrimp and asparagus salad with horseradish-spiked mayo dressing, celery seed, and lemon. A spring lunch over Belgian endive or lettuce in 25 minutes.

Homemade chicken pie with a rich thyme-and-nutmeg roux filling loaded with carrots, potatoes, and celery, topped with golden cheddar buttermilk biscuits. From-scratch comfort.

Cuban-style black bean soup with ham hocks, green pepper sofrito, cumin, and red wine vinegar. Brothy and chunky rather than pureed, garnished with sieved hard-cooked egg in classic Havana fashion.

A golden cornmeal-Parmesan crust pressed into a deep-dish pie pan and loaded with saucy kidney beans, zucchini, bell pepper, and seasoned tomatoes, then blanketed with melted mozzarella. Hearty, protein-packed vegetarian comfort in one gorgeous pie.

Eggplant halves stuffed with a Cajun filling of onion, celery, bell pepper, fresh tomatoes, herbs, and breadcrumbs. Baked until tender. Naturally plant-based.

Mushroom pita pizza with sauteed onions, fresh tomato slices, basil, oregano, and crumbled goat cheese on toasted whole wheat pita. Quick 20-minute lunch or light dinner.

Lean chicken tetrazzini using melted cottage cheese instead of cream sauce, with spaghetti, mushrooms, dry sherry, and a Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Lower fat, full flavor.

Eggplant and tomato casserole baked under a parmesan crust, loaded with mushrooms, peppers, garlic, and a briny hit of capers. A rustic Mediterranean vegetable bake that works as a main or a hearty side.

Nothing says comfort like a bowl of steaming hot beef stew. Choose from our collection of top-rated stew recipes for a hearty meal in a bowl.