30 Easy September Dinner Recipes to Make Every Night This Month
Not to be party poopers, but once September starts, we consider summer (unofficially) officially over. Our tans begin to fade, school is back in session and we take a long trip back to reality. We can’t promise to ease your pain, but we *can* make life a little easier by figuring out what you should cook. Here are 30 easy dinner recipes to tackle every night in September, including a few options that will help you look forward to the cooler days ahead.
38 Healthy Fall Recipes Under 500 Calories (That Still Taste Delish)
September 1: Blackberry-Brie Upside-Down Pastries
Katherine Gillen
Upside-down pastries took over our TikTok feed this summer, so we had to create our own. This seven-ingredient riff stars sweet-tart blackberries, gooey Brie, honey, fresh herbs and most importantly, store-bought frozen puff pastry.
September 2: Jackfruit Tacos with Grilled Pineapple
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
The go-to vegan alternative to pulled pork will knock your socks off (especially since it's topped with smoky grilled pineapple, sautéed bell pepper and queso fresco). Don't forget the guac.
September 3: Crispy Za’atar Chicken and Cauliflower
Meseidy Rivera/Weeknight Gourmet Dinners
Crispy-skinned chicken? Check. Tender roasted cauliflower? Check. All in under an hour? You bet. Once you've tackled the nine-ingredient main, you can serve it with rice, dressed arugula or toasted pita.
September 4: Lemongrass-Ginger Coconut Grilled Steak
Chelsea Kyle/For the Table
It's Labor Day, so it would be pretty rude not to light up the grill, don’t you think? Serve the steak with potato salad, white rice, corn on the cob, mac and cheese or pasta salad.
September 5: Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
This fall-inspired sheet pan meal is simple, flavorful and nutritious—the ultimate trifecta. Don’t skimp on the citrusy, three-ingredient yogurt sauce that tastes divine on just about anything.
September 6: Cheesy Kimchi Linguine with Gochujang Butter
Louise Haggar/A Splash of Soy
A handful of robust pantry staples bring this pasta to life in 15 minutes flat. The sour kimchi anchors all the dish's components, so spring for the freshest, tastiest jar you can find at your local Asian market.
September 7: Pan-Seared Scallops with Citrusy Corn Succotash
Erin Kunkel/The Vibrant Life
Let's send corn season off right, shall we? This gorgeous plate requires less than ten ingredients (including salt!) and takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. Plus, scallops are a surefire way to wow your dinner guests (or roommates).
September 8: Grilled Caprese Skewers with Halloumi and Sourdough
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Because salad tastes a million times better covered in char marks (and served on a stick). These skewers are filling on their own, but feel free to serve them with grilled salmon, seared steak or chicken to make them even more satisfying.
September 9: General Tso’s Cauliflower
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
This version of your favorite dish is sweet and spicy, like the takeout original, but ours will please meat-eaters and vegetarians alike—and your picky kids. The sticky sauce would also taste great on chicken, fish, pork or crispy tofu.
September 10: Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Don't you love it when the slow cooker handles dinner? We tend to think of Crockpot meals as super heavy, but this one is light and zesty, thanks to garlic, capers and lots of lemon.
September 11: Halloumi and Caramelized Mushroom Tacos
Katherine Gillen
Halloumi is a semi-hard Cyprian cheese that develops a crispy, golden brown exterior and a warm, gooey interior when grilled. Trust us, you won't miss the ground beef, friend.
September 12: Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
This pork dish looks fancy, but it comes together in 20 minutes and uses only five ingredients. In other words, it's our new weeknight favorite. Your picky kid who won't eat anything but chicken cutlets just might approve.
September 13: Goat Cheese, Peach and Basil Panini
Aviva Wittenberg/Lunchbox
Summer ain't over 'til the fat peach sings, and it's best put to use in this toasty, tangy sandwich. Serve it with arugula, grilled vegetables, fresh kohlrabi slaw or cold soup.
September 14: Tabasco- and Gochujang-Cured Salmon Poke Bowl
Louise Haggar/A Splash of Soy
It's always no-cook season in our book. As long as your rice is already prepared, the only “cooking” you’ll need to do is pour some boiling water over spinach to wilt it. The rest is just a matter of marinating and assembling.
September 15: Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
If it were up to us, everything we cook would be topped with melty mozzarella. For now, we'll settle for this pesto-kissed chicken dish finished with summer's last tomatoes.
September 16: Sweet Potato Rösti with Fried Eggs and Greens
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
Not familiar with a rösti? It's kind of like a potato pancake or a latke, and it’s excellent for breakfast, brunch or, in this case, dinner. The egg offers some protein, but feel free to top it with crumbled bacon or add cheese to the rösti for a touch of decadence.
September 17: Cacio e Pepe
Photo: Liz Andrew/ Styling: Erin McDowell
Sometimes, simplicity wins out. And it's even better when it’s in the form of a 20-minute pasta dinner that only calls for five pantry staples. Your fussy eater doesn't stand a chance against this cheesy gem.
September 18: Stir Fried Beef Bowls with Rice Noodles
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
You're only 30 minutes away from zingy flank steak, chewy rice vermicelli, crisp snap peas, crunchy peanuts and all the fresh herbs. It's a no-brainer if you have gluten-free eaters coming to dinner.
September 19: Honey Mustard Sheet Pan Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
Colin Price/Two Peas & Their Pod Cookbook
Does it get more autumnal than this sheet pan masterpiece? We think not. You'll love the way the Brussels sprouts soak up all the pan juices. Serve the chicken over white rice or with hunks of crusty bread for dipping.
September 20: Chickpea Caesar Salad with a Cheater’s Dressing
Katherine Gillen
The Caesar salad is timeless, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved upon. Here, roasted chickpeas liven the dish up with spices, texture and plant-based protein.
September 21: Miso-Honey Broiled Chicken
Yuki Sugiura/Love Japan
Six ingredients + one sheet pan = much flavor. Count on umami-rich miso, sweet caramelized honey and rich butter to turn skin-on chicken thighs into something truly revelatory.
September 22: Salmon Bowl with Farro, Black Beans and Tahini Dressing
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
We can practically feel the omega 3s (and protein) coursing through our veins after one of these hearty bowls. Oh, and you'll want to make a triple batch of the lemon-tahini dressing, which gets its vibrant color from turmeric.
September 23: Mustardy Pork Tenderloin with Grapes and Red Onions
Nicole Franzen/To the Last Bite
Don't let its elegant appearance fool you. This soul-warming fall dish only takes 35 minutes to prepare. Even better, the recipe calls for just eight ingredients and it's impressive enough to serve guests.
September 24: Bacon Mac and Cheese
Photo: Liz Andrew/ Styling: Erin McDowell
We like to think of this as a fancy BLT sans bread, since it includes crispy chopped bacon, canned fire-roasted tomatoes and wilted arugula.
September 25: Coconut Shrimp
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Even picky eaters will have zero complaints about these shatteringly crisp breaded shrimp. They might even like the sweet chile dipping sauce, too. We like to serve these crunchy beauties with sticky white rice, but you can pair the shrimp with just about any grain, or even use them in a wrap.
September 26: Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Green Olives
Christopher Hirsheimer/Canal House Cook Something
The trick to impossibly crispy chicken thighs is to start them in a cold pan, then cook them low and slow to render out all the fat in the skin. It's worth every ounce of your patience, trust.
September 27: Spicy Bucatini Amatriciana
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
While we can’t hop a flight to Italy, we can pretend we're there by way of a plate's worth of this tongue-tingling pasta. Pair the dish with a big green salad or garlic bread (or both).
September 28: White Turkey Chili with Avocado
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
It’s just as spicy and satisfying as the chili you know and love, only lightened up a touch with turkey instead of traditional ground beef. Finish your bowl with sour cream, white cheddar cheese and diced avocado.
September 29: Wild Mushroom, Potato and Onion Tart
Melina Hammer/A Year at Catbird Cottage
Store-bought puff pastry does it again. Keep a package in your fridge at all times so you can make this dinner party-ready tart—which is teeming with caramelized onions, fresh herbs and gooey Gruyère—at the drop of a hat.
September 30: Cheater’s Sicilian-Style Pizza with Jalapeños and Honey
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Congrats—you made it through the month. Why not celebrate with pizza? This pie starts with store-bought focaccia, but you can use premade dough in its place if you'd prefer. We'll take extra honey on our slice, please.
