42 Cozy Stews to Warm You Up When the Temperature Takes a Tumble

From the Recipe Creator: This stew is loaded with ingredients. It's sure to fill up the kids before they head out trick-or-treating, and the family enjoys it all season long! —Shirley Smith, Yorba Linda, California

From the Recipe Creator: This chunky stew makes a hearty supper, especially in the fall and winter. It'salso a great way to use extra turkey during the holidays. —Lori Schlecht, Wimbledon, North Dakota

From the Recipe Creator: Ranch dressing mix and taco seasoning give extra special flavor to my hearty chili. Folks will come back for seconds. —Julie Neuhalfen, Glenwood, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: This thick and creamy pork tenderloin stew is one that my family requests often. It does an especially good job of warming us up on cold winter days. —Janet Allen, Belleville, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: This easy beef stew is incredibly rich. Since it's even better a day or two later, you may want to make a double batch. —Michaela Rosenthal, Woodland Hills, California

From the Recipe Creator: A rich sauce coats this hearty combination of potatoes, carrots and bratwurst chunks. I adapted a baked stew recipe that appeared in a newspaper. This is so comforting on cold winter evenings. —Susan Holmes, Germantown, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: I love to experiment with many different types of recipes. But as a mother of young children, I rely on family-friendly ones more and more. Everyone enjoys this stew. —Kim Balstad, Lewisville, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I created this recipe after trying goulash at a local restaurant. The blend of spices gives it fabulous flavor, and it’s so easy to make on a weeknight! —Karen Schelert, Portland, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: This thick and hearty stew with great northern beans is sure to chase the winter chills away. —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Shh! Don’t tell anyone! This recipe is so simple, but you’d never know it. My husband, who normally doesn’t like chicken, asks for this dish regularly. —Mary Watkins, Little Elm, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Every spring, my family heads out to our timber acreage to collect morel mushrooms, and then we cook up this stew. We use morels, of course, but baby portobellos or button mushrooms or will work, too. —Amy Wertheim, Atlanta, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and I worked on this recipe together. We make a big pot and freeze it to enjoy all winter long. We sometimes stir in sauteed shrimp for a delicious addition to this stew. —Lisa Nelson, Bluffton, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: I love anything with Cajun spices, so I came up with this slow-cooker jambalaya that’s just as good as that served in restaurants. If you can’t find Andouille sausage, hot links, smoked sausage or chorizo will also work. I like to serve it with warm cornbread and garnished with sliced green onions. —Jennifer Fulk, Moreno Valley, California

From the Recipe Creator: This is a delicious, nourishing and economical dish. The flavor improves if you make the stew the day before you serve it. —Margery Richmond, Fort Collins, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: If you're looking for a great seafood recipe for your slow cooker, this classic fish stew is just the ticket. It's brimming with clams, crab, fish and shrimp, and it is fancy enough to be an elegant meal. —Lisa Moriarty, Wilton, New Hampshire

From the Recipe Creator: French cassoulet is traditionally cooked for hours. This version of the rustic dish offers the same homey taste in less time. It’s easy on the wallet too. —Virginia Anthony, Jacksonville, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: With potatoes, carrots, roast beef and barley, this soup is a hearty meal-in-a-bowl. —Jacqueline Kloess, Iowa City, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe came to me from a friend who had worked at a health food store. I changed a few things until I found a version that my family loved. My son doesn't like things too spicy, so I make the stew milder for him and add a sprinkle of extra spice in mine. My husband, who farms, works outdoors for long hours at a time and finds this soup hearty enough to keep him satisfied. —Melanie MacFarlane, Bedeque, Prince Edward Island

From the Recipe Creator: Moist, tender meat and thick, rich gravy are the hallmarks of my classic recipe simmered in a cast-iron pot. —Joyce Worsech, Catawba, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and I love Thai food, but going out on weeknights can be challenging with busy schedules. I wanted to create a Thai-inspired dinner that could double as an easy lunch the following day. The beef is fantastic in this dish, but chicken or pork would be equally delicious! —Ashley Lecker, Green Bay, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This pot is a fun way to feed a crowd for a tailgate. You can serve it two ways: Drain the cooking liquid and pour out the pot on a paper-lined table so folks can dig in, or serve it as a stew in its liquid over hot rice. —Melissa Pelkey Hass, Waleska, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: If you like chili, you'll enjoy my slow-cooker specialty packed with turkey sausage, pasta and vegetables. My family gobbles it up! It's not only tasty, but loaded with protein and low in fat. —Sarah Bowen of Upland, California

From the Recipe Creator: My Grandma Inky grew up in India and passed down this recipe to my mother, who then passed it down to me. The recipe brings back fond memories of the family gathered around the table, enjoying this delicious meal and catching up on one another's day. I tweaked the ingredients a bit to fit my toddler's taste buds, but it's just as scrumptious as Grandma's own. —Teresa Flowers, Sacramento, California

From the Recipe Creator: Tender cubes of beef are braised in a wine sauce with savory vegetables. I made this slow-cooker beef burgundy often when I worked full time. It’s good over noodles or mashed potatoes. —Sherri Mott, New Carlisle, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and I love dumplings, and this mild-tasting, homey dish has flavorful ones floating on a tasty turkey and vegetable stew. It hits the spot on chilly fall and winter days. —Rita Taylor, St. Cloud, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: We've lived in Arizona for decades, so Mexican-style cooking has become the same as "Arizona-style cooking" for us. Nothing tastes better than chili-spiced pork with tortillas. —Anne Fatout, Phoenix, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe was a lifesaver when I worked full time and needed a dinner that we all would enjoy when we got home. It is perfect to let your young ones help prepare. They can chop, peel, mix and pour. It doesn’t matter if the veggies are all different sizes—your children will still devour this fun and tasty stew. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California

From the Recipe Creator: I lived with a family from the West Indies for a while and enjoyed watching them cook. I lightened up this Caribbean chicken stew by leaving out the oil and sugar, removing the skin from the chicken and using chicken sausage. It's just as good. —Joanne Iovino, Kings Park, New York

From the Recipe Creator: Ground cumin, chili powder and a can of Mexican diced tomatoes jazz up this goulash recipe. Even the macaroni is prepared in the slow cooker. —Melissa Polk, West Lafayette, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: Thai cuisine features flavors that are hot and sour, salty and sweet. This one-dish pork satay balances all of them using ginger and red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, garlic, lime juice and creamy peanut butter. —Nicole Werner, Ann Arbor, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: I got this hamburger stew recipe from a woman at our church, Lois Henry, when I needed a way to use up our bounty of home-canned tomatoes. My husband loves it, and I like that it's easy to warm up for a carefree dinner in the winter months. —Marcia Clay, Truman, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: If you enjoy Indian food, you'll love this dish. An array of spices and dried fruit slow cook with boneless chicken thighs for an aromatic and satisfying meal. To make it complete, serve over Jasmine or Basmati rice. —Roxanne Chan, Albany, California

From the Recipe Creator: Pork slowly stews with jalapenos, onion, green enchilada sauce and spices in this flavor-packed Mexican dish. It's wonderful on its own or stuffed in a warm tortilla with sour cream, grated cheese or olives on the side. —Kimberly Burke, Chico, California

From the Recipe Creator: Using precooked chicken and ready-made biscuits, this hearty dish is comfort food made simple. It's the perfect way to warm up on chilly nights. —Lakeya Astwood, Schenectady, New York

From the Recipe Creator: I love to have my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren over for this supper. They make me so happy with their compliments or just by going to fill up their bowls again. It's a good-for-you hit. —Pam Corder, Monroe, Louisiana

From the Recipe Creator: I adapted a pork and squash stew recipe using tomatoes and southwestern-style seasonings. My husband and sons loved it, and the leftovers were even better the next day! Try it with fresh corn muffins. —Molly Andersen, Portland, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and I both work full time and we have three daughters, so good, quick meals are important. This stew works wonders. It always tastes great and is a regular menu item for us. —Marie Shanks, Terre Haute, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: We created a satisfying stew that’s nutritious, loaded with flavor and family-friendly. Slowly simmer chicken thighs with stewed tomatoes, butternut squash, green peppers and onion for meal-in-one convenience. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Come home to warm comfort food! This vegetable beef stew is based on my mom’s wonderful recipe, but I adjusted it for the slow cooker. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan to each bowl for a nice finishing touch. —Marcella West, Washburn, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: I really love African flavors, but you don't really encounter them much in the U.S. Here the combination of native African ingredients, all of which can be found in the States, transports you to a new culinary place. —Michael Cohen, Los Angeles, California