Savor the Season: Unforgettable Fall Dinners for Every Occasion
Sheet-Pan Roasted Squash and Feta Salad: A Harmonious Blend of Textures and Tastes
This delightful sheet-pan creation marries the sweetness of roasted squash with the savory tang of feta, complemented by crisp greens and crunchy croutons. Achieving a perfect balance of warm and cool, soft and crispy, sweet and savory, this dish is ready in just 40 minutes. For an added touch, consider using radicchio or escarole to enhance its unique flavor profile.
Sheet-Pan Sticky Apricot Chicken: A Sweet and Savory Weeknight Delight
For those who prefer a touch of sweetness, this easy sheet-pan chicken dish features a delectable sticky apricot glaze. Whether you've preserved your own apricots or opt for store-bought jam, this recipe offers a convenient and flavorful meal, complete with a built-in side dish, making weeknight cooking a breeze.
One-Pot Pumpkin Mac and Cheese: Velvety Comfort in Under an Hour
Transform classic mac and cheese into an autumnal masterpiece with this one-pot pumpkin version. With a few clever adjustments, including cornstarch-emulsified cheese and low-moisture evaporated milk, you can achieve a smooth, creamy sauce in under an hour. Cooking the pasta directly in the pan minimizes cleanup, adding to its appeal.
Vegetarian Black Bean Chili: Customizable Warmth for Chilly Evenings
Chili's adaptability shines in this vegetarian black bean rendition. Infuse it with your desired level of heat using diced jalapeños or chipotles, or enhance its heartiness with pinto beans, corn kernels, soy curls, or crumbled tempeh. This versatile dish promises a comforting and satisfying meal every time.
Chicken Pot Pie With Biscuit Crust: A Timeless Classic Reimagined
This enduring recipe, a favorite since its 1985 debut, offers a delightful twist on traditional chicken pot pie. Instead of a pastry crust, it's crowned with light and cheesy biscuits. Utilize store-bought rotisserie chicken or repurpose holiday leftovers for a delicious turkey pot pie variation.
Wild Mushroom Risotto: An Earthy Main Course or Appetizer
Highlighting the rich, earthy flavors of wild mushrooms, this autumnal risotto serves as an excellent appetizer or a substantial main course. For an extra layer of indulgence, finish each serving with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Miso–Butternut Squash Soup: A Flavorful and Convenient Weeknight Option
This elevated butternut squash soup can be partially prepared up to three days in advance, making it ideal for busy weeknights. The puréed squash and aromatics create a smooth base, which can be topped with crunchy chili crisp, fresh cilantro, or salted roasted peanuts for added texture and flavor.
Tuna Noodle Casserole: A Modern Take on Classic Comfort
Upgrade the nostalgic tuna noodle casserole by forgoing canned soup in favor of an easy, homemade mushroom-infused stovetop sauce. This updated version delivers a deliciously comforting, from-scratch flavor. For future convenience, it can also be frozen before baking.
Simple Roast Chicken: Elegance in Simplicity
This elegant roast chicken recipe, requiring just six ingredients and inspired by a Michelin-starred chef, proves that simple can be incredibly satisfying. Serve it with roasted root vegetables and crusty bread to soak up the savory pan juices, creating a truly memorable meal.
Easy Vegetarian Enchiladas: Quick and Customizable Weeknight Meal
These vegetarian enchiladas offer a clever shortcut to a comforting meal in under an hour by eliminating the need to individually dip tortillas. Customize them with corn or flour tortillas, pinto or black beans, and your preferred cheese, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend.
Quick Chana Masala: A Flavor-Packed and Versatile Legume Dish
Achieve the texture of slow-cooked beans in this quick chana masala by boiling canned chickpeas with their liquid. Serve this flavorful dish with basmati rice, naan, or as a topping for tortilla chips or tacos, garnished with cheese, cilantro, and scallions.
Hot Honey Pork Chops With Escarole and White Beans: A One-Pan Wonder
This efficient one-pan dinner features pork chops glazed with a hot honey-garlic sauce, which also forms the base for the escarole and white bean salad dressing. Adjust the spice level with more red pepper flakes or use a milder hot honey for a personalized touch.
Weeknight Pasta With Stuffing Crumbs: Thanksgiving Flavors, Any Time
Enjoy the comforting taste of stuffing beyond Thanksgiving with this weeknight pasta dish. A boxed stuffing mix is transformed into a savory topping for hearty sausage and kale pasta. Opt for pre-shredded kale to further expedite meal preparation.
Vegetarian Lasagna With Easy Roasted Tomato Sauce: Layered Flavors, Simplified Prep
This intelligent take on lasagna achieves rich flavor by roasting the tomato sauce in the oven, eliminating constant stovetop stirring. Any leafy green, such as fresh or frozen spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, or leftover cooked broccoli rabe, can be incorporated.
Quick Vegetable Massaman Curry: Exotic Flavors, Effortless Execution
Store-bought red curry paste makes quick work of building robust flavors in this comforting massaman curry. Substitute butternut squash with kabocha or acorn squash, or use additional sweet potatoes for a customizable and satisfying vegetarian meal.
Baked Feta Pasta With Chickpeas: A TikTok-Inspired Weeknight Hit
Hailed as a solid choice for quick weeknights or relaxed weekends, this dish combines two TikTok-famous recipes into one. The baked feta and chickpeas create a flavorful and easy pasta that is sure to please.
White Chicken Chili: A Hearty and Flavorful One-Pot Meal
This white chicken chili is thickened with a touch of cream and packed with diced chicken and white beans, making it a protein-rich one-pot meal. Like most stews, its flavors deepen and improve after a day or two, making it perfect for meal prepping.
Smoked Salmon Pasta With Capers and Dill: Elegant and Effortless
Elegant enough for a dinner party yet simple enough for a weeknight, this creamy smoked salmon pasta comes together in just 45 minutes. If dill isn't your preference, consider tarragon, parsley, or chives for alternative herbal notes.
Braised Chicken Legs With Grapes and Fennel: A Sophisticated Autumnal Dish
Calabrian chili paste adds a powerful kick to this elegant fall dinner, beautifully contrasting with the sweetness of table grapes. As the grapes cook, some infuse the sweet-spicy braising liquid, while others emerge glistening and caramelized, creating a complex flavor profile.
Instant-Pot Italian Chickpea Stew With Pesto: Rapid Comfort and Flavor
The Instant Pot streamlines the cooking of chickpeas and carrots in this hearty stew. A dollop of store-bought or homemade pesto elevates the entire dish, adding a fresh and vibrant finish.
Bang Bang King Oyster Mushrooms: A Meaty Vegan Delight
These meaty king oyster mushrooms absorb a vibrant, flavor-packed sauce, making for a quick 25-minute vegan meal. Serve them as an appetizer or as a substantial main course piled onto cooked noodles.
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes With Beans and Guacamole: A Crowd-Pleasing Pantry Meal
In just 35 minutes, readily available pantry ingredients like sweet potatoes and canned black beans transform into a crowd-pleasing meal. Serve with tortilla chips to scoop up any extra toppings, enhancing the experience.
Apple Cider Pork Pot Roast: A Hands-Off Autumnal Braise
This Dutch oven braise is largely hands-off, allowing a double dose of apples to infuse the pork with layered fall flavors. Leaving the apple peels on thickens the sauce with pectin and helps the fruit maintain its shape during cooking.
Butternut Squash Soup With Apples and Bacon: A Rich and Smoky Delight
If you're making only one fall soup, let it be this one. The harmonious pairing of apples and butternut squash is elevated by the fortifying richness and smoky notes of bacon.
Cast-Iron Pizza With Fennel and Sausage: Deep Flavor, Crispy Crust
Cooking sausage in the cast iron pan before adding the dough infuses the crust with rich pork flavor. Whether you choose store-bought or homemade pizza dough and marinara sauce, this pizza promises to be delicious.
Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts Salad With Spiced Maple Vinaigrette: A Revelation in Roasting
Cooking Brussels sprouts in an air fryer is a game-changer, resulting in crispy, mellowed sprouts. Enhance this salad with chopped hard-boiled eggs for protein, or incorporate farro, quinoa, barley, or other cooked grains for a heartier meal.
Slow-Cooker Pork Roast: Minimal Effort, Maximum Flavor
This slow-cooked pork roast uses a few simple ingredients to create a dish brimming with flavor. Prepare it in advance by wrapping it in foil and reheating it in the oven, making it perfect for busy schedules.
Creamy One-Pot Pasta With Sausage and Squash: Simplified Italian Comfort
This easy fall recipe allows fusilli and a creamy butternut squash pasta sauce to cook together in a single pot, eliminating the need to boil water separately. Customize with sweet or spicy pork sausages for varied flavor.
Quick Potato Gnocchi: A Fast and Flavorful Weeknight Option
Using instant potatoes transforms gnocchi preparation from an all-day task into a speedy 15-minute weeknight dinner. Serve alongside a kale salad and extra Parmesan for a complete and satisfying meal.
Crispy Tofu With Maple-Soy Glaze: A Delectable Vegan Choice
The secret to perfectly crispy tofu lies in thorough draining and pressing. These cubes, coated in a maple-soy glaze, are excellent served over rice or wilted escarole or bok choy, offering a flavorful vegan option.
Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad: A Versatile and Hearty Main
This versatile salad possesses a main-character presence. Enhance its substance with grilled chicken or crispy oven-roasted tofu, and personalize with feta or goat cheese, walnuts or pecans, and a variety of extras like golden raisins or pomegranate seeds.
Cheesy Baked Butternut Squash Polenta: A Gooey Vegetarian Delight
Tender butternut squash and gooey Fontina cheese elevate polenta into a vegetarian main course you'll want to make repeatedly. Crispy sage leaves, fried in hot oil, add texture and aromatic depth, making this dish truly special.
Instant Pot Lemon Chicken With Garlic and Olives: Mediterranean Flavors, Modern Convenience
Sautéing chicken thighs in the Instant Pot ensures crispy skin before they slow-cook with capers, olives, and lemon peel. If rosemary is unavailable, thyme, oregano, or bay leaves can be used as aromatic substitutes.
Spiced Turkey Chili With Spaghetti Squash: A Gluten-Free Fall Favorite
This hearty chili tastes like it has simmered for hours, yet it comes together in just 45 minutes, offering a naturally gluten-free fall dinner. Experiment with different spices, such as ginger or cloves, or increase the cayenne for extra heat.
Double-the-Mustard Chicken With Potatoes and Greens: A Must-Try for Mustard Lovers
For mustard enthusiasts, this sheet-pan chicken dinner is a revelation. Dijon mustard blends with honey for a sweet-tart marinade, while whole-grain mustard adds dynamic bursts of flavor to the dressing, creating a truly unique dish.
Sausage and Greens Sheet-Pan Dinner: Quick and Convenient Weeknight Meal
When time is short, this sheet-pan recipe delivers dinner in under 30 minutes. Layered with savory sausages, crispy mini potatoes, and hearty greens, it's a perfect go-to for busy fall evenings, offering maximum flavor with minimal effort.
Xiang La Fengmi Xia (Spicy Honey Orange Shrimp): Sweet, Spicy, and Tangy
Tossing shrimp in seasoned tapioca starch allows it to absorb all the sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce, available in most grocery stores or online. Serve this vibrant dish over noodles, chow mein, or fluffy white rice for a complete meal.
Popover-Topped Pot Pie: A Sophisticated Vegetable Comfort Food
Replacing traditional pot pie crust with a puffy, Parmesan-studded popover top elevates this vegetable comfort food. A hint of lemon and a dash of Dijon keep the flavors fresh and bright, satisfying even the most discerning palates.
Chicken Meatballs With Molokhieh, Garlic, and Cilantro: A Hearty and Adaptable Stew
Somewhere between a soup and a stew, this comforting fall recipe can be made with fresh or frozen spinach or the Levantine green molokhieh. Prepare the meatballs in advance using ground turkey or chicken, and substitute breadcrumbs with grated zucchini for a gluten-free option.
Roasted Acorn and Delicata Squash Salad: A Hearty and Bright Dinner Option
This salad defies expectations, offering a substantial dinner option. Hearty grains combined with roasted delicata and acorn squash provide satisfying weight, while a tangy vinaigrette and fresh greens ensure bright, zesty fall flavors.
Mushroom Stroganoff: A Quick Vegetarian Twist on a Classic
This vegetarian take on classic beef stroganoff is ready in under 30 minutes. Utilize your favorite dry white wine in the sauce, and perhaps enjoy a glass with your meal for a perfect pairing.
Creamy Cider-Braised Chicken and Leeks: An Elegant and Saucy Fall Dish
Combining the crisp skin of roast chicken with the rich sauciness of a stew, this dish offers quiet elegance. Braising the leeks in cider before roasting ensures they become silky smooth, adding depth to the meal.
Roasted Beets With Crispy Sunchokes and Pickled Orange-Ginger Purée: A Symphony of Textures and Flavors
Praised for its depth and complexity, this dish features roasted beets, crispy sunchokes, and a stunning pickled orange-ginger purée. Serve it over arugula for an extended meal, and make extra purée to complement grilled chicken or roasted tofu.
Sweet-and-Saucy Pork Chops: Perfectly Caramelized and Flavorful
A touch of sugar is the secret to the golden brown, caramelized crust on these sweet-and-saucy pork chops. For optimal flavor and tenderness, look for well-marbled cuts with a good fat cap.
Weeknight Harissa Eggplant Parm: Effortless and Flavorful
This weeknight harissa eggplant parm simplifies the classic dish by using toasted breadcrumbs and a blanket of melted cheese, eliminating the need for frying individual eggplant slices. This one-pan recipe is ready in just 45 minutes, perfect for busy evenings.
Baked Eggs in Sweet Potato Boats With Herb Relish: A Delightful Breakfast-for-Dinner
Breakfast for dinner is always a treat, especially with these baked eggs served in tender sweet potato boats, topped with a tangy herb relish. Customize by adding or omitting golden raisins, or adjusting cilantro and parsley quantities to your taste.
3-Ingredient Tomato Soup: Simple Comfort, Maximum Satisfaction
When you're seeking straightforward fall dinner ideas, this comforting three-ingredient tomato soup is a reliable choice. Serving it with a grilled cheese sandwich is an optional yet highly recommended pairing for ultimate comfort.