50 Fall Dinner Ideas to Savor All Season Long
We’re craving cozy meals that give us all the warm and fuzzies, like hearty soups, comforting casseroles and roasted chicken dishes. Try whipping up one (or hey, all) of these 50 easy fall dinner ideas that are just the ticket for sweater season. We’re guessing you already have lots of the ingredients in your kitchen right this minute.
RELATED: 36 Easy Fall Dessert Recipes for Beginners
1. Balsamic Cranberry Roast Chicken
One bag of frozen cranberries goes a long way. And you won’t even have to brown the bird on the stove first, thanks to the cast-iron skillet.
2. Sheet-Pan Lemon Butter Veggies and Sausage
Two things we love: hands-off dinners and zero dishes. Serve with rice, pasta or a hunk of crusty bread.
3. Harissa Chickpea Stew with Eggplant and Millet
Grain bowls never get old, especially spiced up with North African chili paste. Swap millet for quinoa or farro if that’s what’s in your pantry.
4. Butternut Squash Carbonara
If you think creamy pasta carbonara requires a ton of butter, let this seasonal gem prove you wrong.
5. Spicy Turkey Enchiladas with Pumpkin Seeds
No garnish does fall flair quite like roasted, salted pepitas. Swap in store-bought rotisserie chicken for roast turkey as you see fit.
6. Bulgur with Roasted Butternut Squash, Sage and Goat Cheese
Toasted pecans, Honeycrisp apple and dried cranberries? We’ll get our chunky sweaters and ankle boots out of storage.
7. Mexican Posole Soup
Meet hominy, the big corn kernels you see in your dreams. This chili-soup hybrid is a killer hangover cure too. Just saying.
8. The Ultimate Chicken Potpie
Have a hankering for the most comforting casserole to ever exist? Frozen puff pastry to the rescue.
9. Cauliflower Steaks with Lemon-Herb Sauce
Easy enough for a meatless Monday. Serve it over steamed wild rice for a chic finish.
10. One-Pot, 15-Minute Pasta Limone
In case you’re craving a little summer brightness on a gray day. Or a ridiculously fast dinner.
11. Oven-Baked Buffalo Wings
Destined for Super Bowl Sunday…and every day. Pass the ranch dressing.
12. Easy One-Pan Ratatouille
Because we know you’re not going to let tomato season end without a fight.
13. General Tso’s Cauliflower
Put down the menu and step away from the phone. You’ve got this. Did we mention it pairs well with a bottle of Cab Sauv?
14. Chrissy Teigen’s Cheesy Chicken Milanese
Our celeb crush doesn’t mess around with fussy dinners. The secret? Two types of breadcrumbs.
15. The Best Damn Tomato Soup
Repeat after us: Tomato soup doesn’t have to be boring. Or canned.
16. Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce
This beauty will only take 25 minutes of your time.
17. Cacio e Pepe
Nothing cures dreary weather blues like a heaping bowl of pasta that only took you 20 minutes and four ingredients to make.
18. Baking Sheet Quesadillas
Meet the kids’ new favorite dinner.
19. Zoodle Stir-Fry
This vegan main only takes 20 minutes to whip up. Add chicken or shrimp if you insist.
20. Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Our love for our cast-iron skillet runs deep. Instead of making them on the stove, we turn to the oven for a 30-minute roast.
21. 15-Minute Lemony Broccolini Pasta
Earthy broccolini. Salty Parmesan. Crunchy pine nuts. Fresh lemon juice. Need we say more?
22. Polenta and Meatballs
Here’s that creamy, satisfying hug on a plate you ordered.
23. Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash
Full disclosure: We could eat this every night for the rest of our lives. And your kids will go gaga for the Thai chili-pomegranate glaze.
24. Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio
Get in, we’re going to Italy. These juicy pork cutlets take less than a half-hour to pull together.
25. Cauliflower Fried Rice
Our philosophy? When in doubt, top with a runny egg.
26. Vegetable Wellington with Mushrooms and Spinach
All the savory, buttery goodness of beef Wellington, minus the food coma.
27. Spiralized Winter Vegetable Gratin
Sorry, spuds. You’ll have to sit this one out. But don’t worry, we didn’t skimp on the cheese.
28. Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
Herby tomato soup is the perfect vehicle for cheese, pasta and sausage crumbles.
29. Pasta Alla Norma
This dish hails from the Sicilian city of Catania. Think of it as a healthier, five-ingredient eggplant parm.
30. Kale Salad with Persimmons, Crispy Chickpeas and Fried Shallots
Hearty enough to fill you up, elegant enough to steal the show at your next dinner party.
31. Rotisserie Chicken Ramen
Like the microwaveable kind you lived on in college, only much, much better. Precooked chicken makes it a total breeze.
32. Cheater’s Skillet Paella
We won’t tell if you make your go-to summer entrée after Labor Day weekend. It’ll be our little secret.
33. Shrimp with Cauliflower “Grits” and Arugula
Just when we thought we’d run out of ways to cook our favorite veggie of all time, we fell hard for this 30-minute cutie.
34. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Our trusty skillet does it again. No one will believe it only took you a half-hour.
35. Baking-Sheet Pizza with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Tastes like it was made in an ancient stone pizza oven. (Spoiler: It wasn’t.)
36. Tomato Soup in Grilled Cheese Bread Bowls
And just like that, we’re kids again. Happy dipping.
37. Skillet Steak with Asparagus and Potatoes
There’s no need to go to a restaurant to get your steak fix. This quick-and-easy number is basically foolproof.
38. 15-Minute Mezze Plate with Toasted Za’atar Pita Bread
Go ahead and eat a plate of fancy snacks for dinner. You have our blessing.
39. Baked Chicken and Mushroom Risotto
Who has time to stand over a hot stove and stir (and stir and stir)? No one, says this 40-minute wonder.
40. One-Pan Steak with Beets and Crispy Kale
Busy weeknights call for mess-free dinners that are as tasty as they are simple. Like, six-ingredient simple.
41. Sticky Orange Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Fennel
The marinade works double duty as a sticky, citrusy sauce. Feel free to swap fennel for bok choy, green beans or whatever veg your heart desires.
42. The Best Damn Pumpkin Soup
Get this: The soup oven-roasts inside the pumpkin. Genius.
43. Whole Roasted Chipotle Chicken
The most impressive way to feed a crowd. Your guests will have no clue how little effort it took.
44. Honey-Mustard Sheet Pan Salmon
Easy, delicious, healthy *and* lightning fast? We’re in love.
45. Pomegranate-Sumac Chicken with Roasted Carrots
Psst: Save your carrot greens. They make for the prettiest finishing touch.
46. 15-Minute Cheater’s Pad Thai
Even your picky kids won’t turn their noses up at this copycat takeout staple.
47. Mini Cranberry Potpies
Move over, chicken—we’re in the mood for something unexpected. Each potpie serves two (or um, one).
48. Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup
Red curry paste? Check. Coconut milk? Check. Fresh lime, cilantro and tamari? You betcha.
49. Slow-Cooker Whole Chicken with Potatoes
Homemade roast chicken is classic, chic and impressive. And this one? Super hands-off.
50. 15-Minute Skillet Pepper Steak
Minimal dishes, ingredients and calories. We’re talking less than 230 per serving. Ta-da.
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