It’s fall, y’all. That means pumpkin carving, apple picking, cozy sweaters, and hayrides! It’s also officially the season for warm soups, braised meats, and decadent creamy pastas. To get you in the mood for all that this wonderful season has to offer, we rounded up 14 comforting dishes for you to try out this fall.
Apple Cider co*cktail
One surefire way to warm up on chilly nights? Sip a tall glass of spiked apple cider! This easy recipe from No Spoon Necessary calls for gin, but consider swapping in bourbon for a slightly less boozy beverage.
Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Pepitas
Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, bring a pleasantly nutty crunch to this festive salad from Cookie + Kate. This side pairs exceptionally well with lasagna or any other baked pasta.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Cubing then roasting butternut squash is an easy way to sneak vegetables into any weeknight meal. This recipe from Well Plated by Erin jazzes the veggie up with a sprinkling of cinnamon, which turns it into a sweet, caramelized treat akin to dessert!
Apples on Horseback
Food & Wine’s take on this fun fall appetizer calls for just four ingredients, making it an ideal choice for little helpers or busy hosts! If you can’t find Manchego cheese, Asiago or Monterey Jack will act as fine substitutes.
Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies
Crinkle cookies are a blast to make and even more enjoyable to eat! This pumpkin cookie recipe from Dessert Now Dinner Later is a hearty fall treat. If you feel like mixing things up, try adding in a handful of chocolate chips, cream cheese baking chips, or roughly chopped cranberries.
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Kale and Sausage Breadcrumbs
Cozy, creamy, and crunchy is the perfect way to describe one of our favorite fall pastas. With a decadent pumpkin sauce that is simple to make and sausages breadcrumbs (yes, you read that right) for some crunch, this is the ideal meal for chillier weather.
Italian Sausage Soup
Is it really fall if you don’t make some fantastic soup? This bowl from The Endless Meal is healthy, rich, and quick to make! The slightly spicy Italian sausage adds some heat while the potato makes it filling and hearty. Be sure to make enough for leftovers because this soup is even better the next day.
Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry
The thing that makes this curry from MyFitnessPal awesome is that it’s super versatile. You can mix and match the vegetables: Use pumpkin like the recipe calls for, or swap it for butternut squash or kabocha. Add protein if you wish and serve over steamed brown rice, or toss in some cooked rice noodles at the end. This curry is satisfying and has all the elements of a quick, cozy meal.
Skillet-Roasted Sausages and Apples with Walnut Vinaigrette
This one-skillet dish from our test kitchen combines seared sausages and tender sweet apples with crisp bitter greens and a toasty walnut vinaigrette. It’s unexpected, but it all fuses together for a satisfying fall meal.
Turkey Stuffing Salad
This fresh, crunchy salad from Food & Wine and shared by Slurrp tastes like a deconstructed Thanksgiving stuffing. The juicy, tart apple and peppery fennel really bring this no-cook dish to life.
Winter Squash Carbonara
You won’t believe that this rich, creamy pasta from Bon Appétit isn’t loaded with cream and butter. Rendered pancetta adds a bit of silky fat while kabocha squash cooks down until tender and is then pureed to make a luxurious sauce. A bit of Pecorino is added at the end (it is carbonara, after all) for a peppery, salty bite.
Foolproof Lentil Soup
Few foods do a better job of warming you to your core than a hearty lentil soup. Come fall, lentils are always on heavy rotation—not only because they’re hearty and healthy, but they’re also affordable and easy to cook. This soup also calls for toasty Indian spices, creamy coconut milk, plus kale and sweet potato for extra nutritional oomph. Feel free to follow this recipe to a T (it is a good one), or make it your own with different vegetables and spices.
Mushroom Chicken Skillet with Herbed Cream Sauce
Chicken thighs are a weeknight dinner hero. They crisp up beautifully and quickly and are quite forgiving if you get distracted helping the kids with homework or feeding the dog. This creamy, mushroom-laden dish from Good Housekeeping gets an extra umami boost from a bit of white miso paste stirred in at the end. Serve with a white-and-wild rice blend to soak up all of the delicious juices.
Cedar Planked Salmon with Maple Glaze
Your cedar plank isn’t just for using on the grill! This clever recipe from Epicurious takes your favorite summer tool and shows you how to use it in the oven. The plank imparts a subtle smokiness and gives you a perfectly tender roasted salmon fillet. Sauté some green beans on the stove while the fish is cooking or steam some baby potatoes.
