4 Winter Comfort Food Recipes & How to Make Them Gluten-Free

It's that time of year - the temperatures are getting lower and lower, and despite turning up the heat and wrapping up in a warm blanket, you need to warm up your body from the inside by eating warm comfort food. I've rounded up some of my family's favorite dinner ideas for winter nights. These winter dinner recipes keep us warm and full, plus they taste good, too!

Oh, and all of these winter dinner ideas can be made gluten-free and dairy-free!

One-Pot Chicken and Rice from Iowa Girl Eats

If you're looking for winter chicken recipes and winter soup recipes, combine the two in this unique and easy-to-make winter recipe. You might be familiar with Rachael Ray's "stoup", which is "thicker than soup but thinner than stew". That's kind of how I feel about this One-Pot Chicken and Rice.

Here's what you need to know to make this hearty winter recipe.

To make it dairy-free:

• use plant-based butter

To make it gluten-free:

• use gluten-free chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics brand)

Ron's Chili from Ron

I don't know who Ron is, but I guess my mom did because she got the recipe from him many years ago, and now I have the recipe! I know I've posted about this one before, but I just have to keep sharing it because it's one of the best winter recipes I know. If you're not a fan of spicy chili, then you'll love this sweet chili! Top it over gluten-free rotini pasta, and you've got yourself one of the best winter dinner recipes ever!

Here's what you need to know to make this.

To make it dairy-free:

• nothing!

To make it gluten-free:

• nothing! Unless you do use the rotini pasta to make a chili mac, then you'll need to use gluten-free pasta.

Slow Cooker Spaghetti with Italian-Style Chicken Sausage from ShopRite

I discovered this recipe a few years ago in our grocery store circular, and it's been in heavy rotation ever since. It's one of those great dinner ideas for cold nights because the pasta comes out so warm, and with the chicken sausage, it feels really hearty. You'll also want to add this to your winter recipes list because it's super easy to make. Just throw everything into the Crockpot!

Here's what you need to know to make this winter recipe.

To make it dairy-free:

• use vegan Parmesan cheese

To make it gluten-free:

• use gluten-free spaghetti

Mom's Lasagna from my mom!

I've made a lot of lasagna recipes in my lifetime. (Just check out what comes up when you search "lasagna" on my blog. And that's only the stuff I haven't shared!) But nothing beats the lasagna recipe passed down to me from my mom. (I have no idea where she got this recipe.) 

When my husband had to go gluten-free, I was concerned we'd never be able to eat it again. But then I discovered gluten-free lasagna pasta. And when I had to go lactose-free, I thought we'd never be able to eat this lasagna again. But then I discovered easy substitutions!

Here's what you need to know to make this winter comfort food recipe!

To make it gluten-free:

• use gluten-free lasagna, such as from Jovial Foods or DeBoles

To make it lactose-free:

• use vegan parmesan cheese, such as from Go Veggie
• use lactose-free cottage cheese, such as from Lactaid
• use dairy-free mozzarella cheese, such as from Violife or Daiya

Just note that the Lactaid cottage cheese still contains dairy. There are companies that make dairy-free cottage cheese, but I haven't found them at my local grocery store. And because I only have to cut out lactose, the Lactaid brand works just fine for me.

As with any recipe, always be sure to check the ingredients label of the food you're buying to ensure the food meets your dietary requirements.

What do you think about these winter dishes? Which of these cold-weather recipes will you make first?