30 Easy September Dinner Recipes to Make Every Night This Month
We hate to be party poopers, but when September starts, that means summer is (unofficially) officially over. Our tans start to fade, school is back in session and we take a long trip back to reality. We can’t pretend to ease the pain, but we can make life a little easier by figuring out what you should cook. Here are 30 easy dinner ideas to tackle every night this September, including a few options that will help you look forward to the season ahead.
RELATED: 32 Healthy Fall Recipes Under 500 Calories (That Still Taste Delish)
September 1: Salmon Burgers
OK, summer’s not over quite yet. Soak up the last rays of the season by popping these flavorful salmon patties on the grill and topping them with fresh, vinegary coleslaw.
September 2: Jackfruit Tacos with Grilled Pineapple
The go-to vegan alternative to pulled pork will knock your socks off (especially since it's topped with smoky grilled pineapple, sauteed bell pepper and queso fresco).
September 3: Crispy Za’atar Chicken and Cauliflower
Crispy-skinned chicken? Check. Tender roasted cauliflower? Check. All in under an hour? Yep, dinner’s ready.
September 4: Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce
This sheet-pan meal is simple, flavorful and nutritious—the trifecta. Don’t skimp on the three-ingredient yogurt sauce that tastes divine on just about anything.
September 5: Crispy Grilled Chicken
It’s Labor Day weekend, so it would be pretty rude not to light up the grill, don’t you think? The trick to this chicken's crisp exterior is a layer of seasoned mayo. Serve it with potato salad, corn on the cob or pasta salad.
September 6: Slow-Cooker Korean Short Rib Tacos
The secret to fall-apart-tender short ribs? Your trusty slow cooker. (Bonus: You won’t have to use the oven and turn your kitchen into a sauna.)
September 7: Pan-Seared Scallops with Citrusy Corn Succotash
This gorgeous plate requires less than ten ingredients (including salt!) and takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. It's a delicious way to send off corn season.
September 8: Grilled Caprese Skewers with Halloumi and Sourdough
Because salad tastes a million times better covered in char marks (and on a stick). They're filling enough as is, but feel free to serve them with grilled salmon, seared steak or chicken.
September 9: General Tso’s Cauliflower
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.)
September 10: Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata
We tend to think of Crock-Pot meals as super heavy, but this one is light and zesty, thanks to garlic, capers and lots of lemon. Mmm.
September 11: Baked Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs
If you end up with leftover meatballs, warm them in broth and toss in some greens at the end for a quick lunchtime soup. (That’s a big if, though.)
September 12: Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio
This pork dish looks fancy but comes together in 20 minutes and uses only five ingredients. In other words, it’s our new weeknight favorite.
September 13: Firecracker Chicken with Rice
A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy and a lot delicious. (It doesn’t hurt that it’s ready to devour in 35 minutes.)
September 14: Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad
No wimpy salads here. This platter is surprisingly hearty and filling. We'll chalk it up to fatty salmon, tender couscous and a protein-packed yogurt dressing.
September 15: Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet
If it were up to us, everything would be topped with 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
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.
September 17: Cacio e Pepe
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.
September 18: Stir-Fried Beef Bowls with Rice Noodles
You're only 30 minutes away from zingy flank steak, chewy rice vermicelli, crisp snap peas, crunchy peanuts and all the fresh herbs.
September 19: Honey Mustard Sheet-Pan Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
We love the way those Brussels sprouts soak up all the pan juices. Serve the chicken over white rice or with hunks of crusty bread for dipping.
September 20: Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
All the creamy, tangy flavor you grave in a chicken salad, minus the gloppy mayo.
September 21: Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Artichokes
It's like your favorite party dip got a pasta-fied makeover. When the goat cheese hits the hot pasta, it creates a creamy sauce—some might even call it magic.
September 22: Salmon Bowl with Farro, Black Beans and Tahini Dressing
We can practically feel the vitamins (and protein) coursing through our veins after one of these hearty bowls.
September 23: Buffalo Tuna Melt
Canned tuna is always there for us on lazy nights when we don't want to cook. Case in point: This hot wing-inspired sammy stuffed with Buffalo-ranch tuna, celery, carrots and mozzarella cheese.
September 24: Bacon Mac and Cheese
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
Your picky kids will have zero complaints about these shatteringly crisp breaded shrimp. They might even like the sweet chile dipping sauce, too.
September 26: Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Green Olives
The trick to impossibly crispy chicken thighs is to start with a cold pan, then cook it slow and low. It’s worth every ounce of your patience, trust.
September 27: Spicy Bucatini Amatriciana
While we can’t hop a flight to Italy, we can pretend we're there by way of a plate full of this mouth-tingling pasta.
September 28: White Turkey Chili with Avocado
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.
September 29: Potato Chip-Crusted Chicken with Arugula Pesto
You like chicken parm, right? (Silly question.) This is like that, but even tastier (and crunchier).
September 30: Cheater’s Sicilian-Style Pizza with Jalapeños and Honey
Congrats—you made it through the month. Why not celebrate with pizza?
RELATED: 105 Fall Dinner Ideas to Savor All Season Long
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
