In October, the first food that comes to mind for most of us is pumpkin! But after that first flush of pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin bread and yes, PSLs, I tend to crave fall dinner recipes that center on other fruits of harvest season. Autumn dinners need to be cozy, and easy, too. It’s still a busy, bustling season with soccer practices and baseball games, and get-togethers galore now that everyone is back in town after summer.
When I cook in the fall, I reach for recipes that are easy, nourishing and often full of classic fall flavors like mushrooms, squash, sage and apple. A few late-summer veggies are hanging on here in my garden, so there are still a few tomato recipes in my rotation, too. Here are my favorite fall recipes that I’m planning to cook up on busy weeknights and for easy, low-lift dinner parties this autumn. Cozy up, put on your favorite flannel shirt or chunky sweater, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.
Braised Chickpeas
I love this recipe because it has about 3 ingredients and comes together in 20 minutes. It’s vegetarian, cozy, healthy and perfect for a busy, rainy fall weeknight.
Butternut Squash Soup
It’s just not fall until you make squash soup, right? And this recipe couldn’t be simpler.
Baked Sweet Potato
A baked sweet potato makes a terrific easy, cheap weeknight meal! Just add whatever toppings you’ve got on hand (it goes with almost anything) and you’ve got a super healthy, simple dinner.
Creamy Vegetable Curry Soup
Does your soup game need a little jazzing up? Make boring vegetable soup exciting by making it creamy and into a curry! Curry always tastes perfect in autumn to me, and this soup really hits the spot.
Marry Me Salmon
Creamy “Marry Me” sauce has rich sun-dried tomatoes and always tastes like fall to me. It makes me want to snuggle up and marry my husband all over again.
Cacio E Pepe
Another speedy, genius recipe that happens to also be CLASSIC. Roman “cacio e pepe” pasta is a dish made with three key ingredients that comes together super fast. It’s also vegetarian.
Easy Curry Ramen
If you love ramen, you must try curry ramen! It’s creamy and rich, so I find it to be even more satisfying than traditional ramen.
Chicken With Mustard Cream Sauce
This creamy mustard sauce is HEAVEN and it is easy to make. You’ll be so impressed with yourself, and you’ll probably want to use it on everything.
Beef Stroganoff
I grew up on beef stroganoff, and my dad always cooked it in the fall when it’s non-stop rain where we live.
Baked Fish with Olives
Healthy and beautiful, this recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes, thanks to a shortcut that uses the grocery store olive bar to jazz up a simple piece of white fish.
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
A little lighter than classic beef or lamb pie, this turkey version is weeknight-ready! Prep it on the weekend, and eat cozy all week!
Salisbury Steak
Just like grandma used to make! Salisbury steak is, of course, not steak at all. Think perfectly browned ground beef patties, seasoned with abandon and served with creamy mushroom gravy. Quick nostalgic comfort.
Pasta Carbonara
Creamy and so rich, I’m obsessed with carbonara. My kids call it eggs and bacon pasta, because that’s basically what it is (but so much better than it sounds).
Turkey Meatloaf
While I love beef meatloaf, too, on weeknights I try to keep things healthy if I can (as long as the kids will still eat it). Turkey meatloaf is such a win in my house. And the best part? Meatloaf sandwiches for lunch!
One-Pot Chicken and Lentils
Warm fall spices, and creamy coconut milk round out this beautiful, warming, hearty fall recipe that saves you time and dishes in a magical way.
Crock-Pot Potato Soup
Bet you didn’t know that a soup could be rib-sticking?! This is THE fall soup, as far as I’m concerned. Rich and creamy, and loaded with bacon, you MUSt try this recipe at least once this fall, OK?
Baked Tilapia
My healthy, oven baked tilapia is just simply seasoned and baked with a zingy, lemon-garlic butter. Garlic butter keeps the fish so moist! I make this recipe a lot in the fall, when I need a fast weeknight recipe that’s also warming and delicious.
Classic Baked Potato
Dress up a simple baked potato with toppings (I’ve got loads of ideas in the recipe post) and you’ve got THE easiest fall dinner, my friend! It’s easy on the wallet, too.
Roasted Squash Salad
I love this colorful salad on days when the sun sneaks out and it’s a bit warm, but I still want a very autumnal meal. It’s also terrific for your Thanksgiving table.
Spaghetti Squash with Creamed Spinach and Chicken
Remember when people were eating spaghetti squash instead of pasta? Well, I don’t really think it is a great sub for pasta, but I DO love it. This recipe screams fall, and it’s always a hit with kids.
Butternut Squash Quesadilla with Caramelized Onion
Quesadillas are such an unsung quick dinner hero! This one takes the classic recipe and makes it into a fall recipe with the addition of creamy butternut squash. Buy it already cut to make life easy.
Chicken Marsala
Sweet wine and mushrooms taste like fall to me, and so I always make this when the leaves change. Tastes particularly good on a grey rainy day.
Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta With Ratatouille
This vegetarian fall recipe is for those of you who aren’t quite ready to let go of summer. Hey, as long as you can get good tomatoes, enjoy the dregs of the warm, long days.
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
I hate to say it, but back-to-school season means illness is coming for us, so I keep this recipe at the ready! Only slightly more work than the canned stuff, and SO much better.
Slow Cooker Chicken Pumpkin Curry
OK, I can’t help but throw in one really great pumpkin recipe! A fall recipe list just wouldn’t be complete without this pumpkin-boosted weeknight winner.
Brown Butter Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi
Brown butter and sage is a classic pasta sauce (if you can call something with two ingredients a sauce) and I love it most on gnocchi.
Vegetable Lasagna
Make this on the weekend (perfect lazy Sunday afternoon project!) and you can feast all week!
Thai Red Curry
Red curry is a staple food in my pantry and fridge, and so I make this a lot. I actually prefer it to chicken soup when I get sick (though its chicken noodle for the kids!).
Apple, Caramelized Onion and Spinach Quesadilla
Apples may be obvious, but caramelized onions are another flavor of fall that I think is overlooked. Sweet and rich, they’re dreamy in this super easy, kid-friendly fall dinner.
Carrot Ginger Soup
Creamy, healthy and soothing, with a major hit of fresh ginger, I adore this sophisticated soup. Carrots are so ubiquitous, but they deserve a moment in the spotlight!
Kale Salad with Apples and Pumpkin Seed Clusters
Another great salad recipe for when you need a light supper but still want autumn flavors.
Chicken Pot Pie
Classic and cozy, my pot pie recipe keeps things traditional. Creamy on the inside with a perfectly buttery crust, everyone will gobble it up!
Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
To take my love for tortilla soup into the cooler months, I thought I’d make it creamy! Suddenly, my favorite soup became a dreamy fall soup recipe!
Baked Tortellini
Baked pastas are a fall dinner staple for me! They are so simple, and once you learn the basic formula, you can really get creative. I like how using tortellini gives this dish a little extra heft.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
In fall, I often go foraging for wild mushrooms (the Pacific Northwest is a pretty good place to live) and when I get home from a good forage, I make this simple risotto.
Easy Chickpea Curry
The name says it all! Just an easy, healthy simple curry for busy fall evenings.
Sweet Potato Hash
Breakfast for dinner, but make it healthy and hearty! This one always surprises my kids and delights all of us.
Ground Beef and Potatoes
Another super simple dinner that I lean on when my teenagers seem to be REALLY HUNGRY and I am REALLY BUSY. Easy, cheap, fast, and they love it. Sold, right?
Baked Rigatoni
Classic and cheesy, with bubbling tomato sauce, you’ll feel like a domestic goddess of fall when you pull this one out of the oven.
Sausage, Cabbage and Bean Skillet
All you need is one pan, a few ingredients, and 20 minutes to get a super healthy dinner on the table. Easy!
Corn Chowder
If you’re still seeing fresh corn, use it! But this creamy chowder is just as good when made with frozen corn and it’s just so rich and cozy, I made it all autumn long.
