14 Classic Fall Comfort Food Dinners Under 500 Calories

There's a lot to love about fall: Crunchy leaves, boots, Harry Potter movie marathons on TV. Still, what I look forward to most about the season is all the warm, comforting food that comes with it.

Autumn is hands-down my favorite "eating season" (which, in my opinion, is a thing). All year long, I gravitate toward cozy dishes like veggie-packed pastas, anything with pumpkin or butternut squash, hearty soups, and slow-cooker dinners. So once fall hits, I'm in my element, because chillier days and in-season ingredients mean it's finally socially appropriate to cook my favorite foods all the time (although I'd be lying if I said I'd never made chili in the summer).

That said, while many classic fall dishes feature root vegetables and other in-season produce like Brussels sprouts, apples, and bitter greens, they also tend to rely on heavy ingredients that ratchet up the saturated fat, refined carb, and calorie counts. Sometimes I happily dig into my favorite fall foods in all of their classic, indulgent glory, but I've also found that healthier versions of my favorites—recipes made with more veggies, less cream and cheese, leaner cuts of meat, etc.—can be just as flavorful (and don't interfere with my balanced eating goals).

Because the fall window is short, I don't want to miss a single opportunity for pot pies, risottos, and more. So at under 500 calories each, these are the recipes I'll be cooking on repeat all season long. (Note that some of these recipes have fewer than 300 calories, so you'll want to double or triple the serving size for a full, filling meal.)