22 Fall Dinner Ideas to Make All Season Long
Light up your favorite fall candle and get cooking!
Now that summer is coming to an end, it’s time to say "hello" to all our favorite autumn produce. There’s no moment more exciting than when markets and cafes start breaking out the pumpkin-spiced lattes and apple cider donuts. If you’re planning a trip to your local farm to go pumpkin or apple picking, you’re going to need some inspiration for what to make with all your fresh bounty.
Instead of making countless pies, crumbles, and baked goods, consider using some of your produce for mouth-watering fall dinner ideas like Butternut Squash Carbonara, Roasted Chicken With Apples and Leeks, and Creamy Walnut Pasta With Thyme. Whether you’re looking for weeknight meals or something more adventurous for the weekend, we’ve got you covered.
VICTOR PROTASIO
Related: 12 Healthy Fall Recipes Packed With Key Nutrients
Sun-Dried Tomato Romesco Chicken
Enhance your ordinary chicken and pasta dish with a homemade Romesco sauce, consisting of simple ingredients like red bell peppers, onion, garlic, almonds, and olive oil.
Pork and Kabocha Squash Curry
CHRISTOPHER TESTANI
Pork shoulder simmers in a Dutch oven until mouthwateringly tender. Along with curry powder, ginger, garlic, and onion cook with the pork, adding intense flavor to each bite. Serve curry on top of a bed of white rice.
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Christopher Testani
Ready in just an hour, this alfredo-infused spaghetti squash is ideal for a busy fall weeknight dinner. The alfredo sauce is low maintenance: Simply stir the cream in a pot and then transfer it to the squash, adding cheese and mixing it all together. Not a fan of Alfredo? Try our red sauce alternative to this vegetarian dish.
Butternut Enchilada Casserole
Jennifer Causey
You can only use sweet and tender butternut squash for so long—and what better way than in this rich enchilada casserole? A mix of veggies is seasoned with chipotle chile powder, roasted, then stuffed between cheesy layers of corn tortillas and enchilada sauce. Top it all off with fresh cilantro, avocado, and jalapeño and you've got a mouthwatering hearty casserole dish the whole family will devour.
Ricotta Roll-Ups in Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
Consider this a fun, fall take on typical lasagna. If you’re looking for something delicious but different, you will absolutely love this freshly crafted lasagna, filled with herby ricotta, and cooked in a creamy pumpkin sauce.
Butternut Carbonara
Even the most anti-vegetable people will love this classic carbonara that’s loaded with butternut squash. Not only will you get a good serving of vegetables, but the butternut squash adds such a lovely golden hue to the pasta sauce.
Turkey-Pumpkin Chili
Light and lean but full of flavor, this chili will warm your heart and tummy with every spoonful. Whether you’re enjoying it for lunch or dinner, you’ll certainly be satisfied thanks to the ground turkey, pumpkin, and white beans.
Sheet Pan Pierogies With Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Shallots, And Mustard Dressing
Want to know the secret to this Polish-inspired meal? Buy a bag of frozen pierogies and cook them on a sheet pan with your favorite autumn veggies, like Brussels sprouts and shallots. The mustard dressing is an absolute-must, and can be whipped up with just two ingredients.
Butternut Squash Bake With Wild Rice
This creamy vegetarian dish is giving the coziest dinner vibes. The combination of butternut squash, mushrooms, and hearty wild rice baked in a decadent sauce are truly what cozy fall dreams are made of.
Four Cheese Lasagna
When in doubt, cook up something classic like this four-cheese lasagna with beef. Not into meat? No problem, just omit it from the recipe altogether. Throw together a quick salad and some garlic bread for the ultimate Italian dinner.
Pumpkin-Leek Soup
This veggie-loaded pumpkin-leek soup is so fragrant and divine on a chilly fall evening. Pair it with Parmesan toast or a leafy green salad for a perfect, light dinner.
Related: 10 Best Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes to Make All Year Round
Red Lentil Curry
If you love curry, there’s a good chance you’ll be adding this dish to your weekly dinner rotation. Say goodbye to Indian takeout and simmer your own pot of red lentils, warm spices, and root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and ginger.
Cheesy Potato Casserole
When cheese and potatoes get together, you just know it’s gonna be good. If you’re craving something warm and comforting, make this immediately. It’s perfect as a side with a simple protein, or you can just enjoy it on its own.
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes
The fall season is the official kickoff of slow cooker meals. Not only is this dish filled with healthy veggies and beans, but it might just be the easiest meal you’ll ever make.
Maple-Glazed Salmon With Roasted Brussels Sprouts
We adore this recipe because it’s flavorful, full of nutrient-dense ingredients, and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes! Plus, the combination of maple syrup and grainy mustard is one for the books.
Hake With Bacon-Roasted Leeks and Mushrooms
Hake is a very light, flaky white fish, which means it’s perfect for pairing with other flavorful ingredients, like smoky bacon, savory leeks, and meaty mushrooms. Simply roast all of the veggies on a baking sheet with the bacon to infuse everything with plenty of flavor.
Roasted Chicken With Apples and Leeks
If you’re going apple picking this season, here’s a great recipe to make (aside from apple pie, of course). Once you combine everything in a roasting pan, the apples will begin to caramelize and give a sweet yet tart flavor to the chicken.
Raspberry-Maple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Sweet, savory, and mildly tart, these grilled pork tenderloins are anything but boring. The sweetness from raspberry jam and maple syrup married with the acidity of apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce creates the most epic glaze.
Creamy Walnut Pasta With Thyme
Skip the $30 pasta dish from that swanky restaurant and make this instead. Your whole family will go crazy for a bowl full of pasta with a luscious, creamy sauce, topped with homemade breadcrumbs, chopped walnuts, and fresh thyme.
Related: 35 Perfect Pasta Recipes You'll Want to Make for Dinner Tonight (and Every Night)
Beef and Beer Potpie
This is the perfect dish to cook up on a chilly evening, because it will warm your belly with the first spoonful. The filling calls for tons of root veggies and rich stout beer, and the flaky pastry dough is the ideal topping.
Classic Chicken and Dumplings
This chicken and dumpling soup may be a labor of love, but for good reason. Whether you’re feeling a tad under the weather or you’re looking to boost your immune system before cold season ramps up, you’ll want to keep this recipe handy.
Turkish-Style Beef and Eggplant Stew
This warming, Turkish stew combines beef and eggplant, which simmer in a tangy and spicy tomato-based sauce. The meat becomes fork-tender and the eggplant is almost creamy in texture. It's a comfort-food dish that's sophisticated enough for company and could be served atop various grains (think quinoa or brown rice).
For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Real Simple.
