61 Fall Recipes for Cozy Meals All Season Long
There comes a time in every cook’s life when they’re ready to move on from watermelon and barbecue. (It’s true.) A time when we start to crave fall recipes using butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and apples—yes, this is a season for fruits and vegetables, not just braised meat—and comfort food dishes like soups and pot pies. As we await cooler temperatures, shorter days and longer nights, blazing fires, colorful falling leaves, and football tailgates, we thrive on planning the meals to come. So, dust off the ol’ Crock-Pot, pull on your favorite socks, and lean into what this season has to offer. Here are our best fall recipes.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua1/61Five-Spice Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Stir-Fry
Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness2/61Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Even with shortcuts such as a store-bought rotisserie chicken and frozen puff pastry, a classic chicken pot pie isn’t exactly doable for busy weeknight dinners. That’s where this deconstructed version comes into play.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser3/61Beets and Farro With Honey-Garlic Goat Cheese
A cream sauce, shaved fennel, and hearty farro make this fall salad feel like a full meal, but if you need a little something extra, add these oven-roasted chickpeas.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen4/61Potatoes au Gratin
Potatoes au gratin is that rare side dish that feels just as appropriate at a fancy dinner party as it does on a Tuesday night at home. That said, if your family is a mashed potatoes family, please allow us to point you to these Mashed Baked Potatoes with Chives.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness5/61Cranberry-Orange Chutney
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni6/61Hot Buttered Rum Pie
The best fall dinners are followed by, of course, fall desserts. Imagine this boozy pie as the finisher for this Dark and Stormy–Braised Pot Roast. (Get the theme?)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness7/61Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni8/61Cheesy Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Where are our vegetarians at? This centerpiece-worthy cabbage (and its veritable blanket of cheese) is the fall dinner recipe of your dreams. (We think! We hope.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni9/61Brisket Bourguignon
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser10/61No-Fail Roast Chicken With Lemon and Garlic
Speaking of happiness and joy: roast chicken, served with a simple mixed greens salad tossed in shallot vinaigrette. And maybe this Upside-Down Caramelized Leek Tart. And a glass of wine.
Photo by Alex Lau11/61Apple Butter
Believe it or not, this is the first of two mentions of apple butter in this fall recipe gallery. Can you blame us? It’s equally delicious spread on English muffins, dolloped over ice cream, or served alongside pork chops.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris12/61Butternut Squash Coffee Cake
Butternut squash has something to prove: It can work in desserts too. Here, the fall vegetable shows up pumpkin purée in a tasty coffee cake with crispy streusel and a spiced sugar swirl.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness13/61Stuffing-Crusted Fish
Flaky fish with a buttery, crispy stuffing crust (we’re talking boxed savory herb stuffing mix) and a fresh salad make for a delicious weeknight meal using pantry staples—all in under 30 minutes.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro14/61Tuesday Night Meatballs
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio15/61Sweet Potato Cake With Salted Cream Cheese Frosting
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers16/61Cheesy Dutch Baby With Green Sauce
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Tim Ferro18/61Saucy Pollo Guisado
This chicken stew recipe—so good there’s a whole essay about it—makes extra sofrito, so you can freeze it to jump-start future soups, stews, and more.
Photograph by Breanne Furlong, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht19/61Pear Snacking Cake With Chocolate and Rosemary
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker20/61Pumpkin and Cheddar Strata
This make-ahead casserole is one of those cozy fall recipes that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and is just as comfortable at a lazy Sunday family brunch as it is on the Thanksgiving table. Basically, you can take her anywhere.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens21/61Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
Oh, Instant Pot. Let us count the ways.… As any proud owner of this appliance will tell you, it is a game changer when it comes to weeknight dinners.
Alex Lau22/61BA’s Best Green Bean Casserole
Allow us to take this space to argue that store-bought French’s fried onions are better than homemade ones. Actually, we need more space: Let us convince you here.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca23/61Spinach Lasagna With Ricotta
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie24/61Lemony White Bean Soup
This is the warm, cozy hug of white bean recipes. Want something brighter, zippier, perhaps even a little bracing? Try these Spiced Creamy White Beans and Greens instead.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks.25/61Turkey Etcetrazzini
Not only does this fall recipe make use of shredded leftover roast turkey meat, but it works well with leftover Thanksgiving side dishes: Roasted brussels sprouts, sautéed green beans, cooked greens, and even cranberry sauce all make great additions.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness26/61Roasted Delicata Squash With Crispy Onions
Google tells us that, come fall, people start searching for stuffed acorn squash recipes. We don’t want to yuck anybody’s yum, but that feels a little dated. We’d much rather have these rings of delicata squash or this deconstructed kabocha, roasted and topped with barley or farro.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley27/61Mustardy Cider-Braised Pork Chops
Have you ever seen a savory dish that screams autumn harder? (Actually, this Pork Chop Schnitzel with a pickled fennel salad comes pretty close, TBH.)
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio28/61Kale Pesto With Whole Wheat Pasta
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova29/61A Better Turkey Chili
We prefer dark meat turkey for its richer flavor and fat content, but if all you have in the fridge is lean ground turkey or ground chicken, it’ll work. Ground beef, on the other hand, will not. Go here for that.
Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott30/61BA’s Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
This is the best-ever version of the comfort food classic, but if you’re looking for a slight twist, we have a Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese—and we have Instant Pot Tomato Soup, which works with both.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua32/61Roasted Roots With Green Salsa
Gussy up sweet potatoes and carrots with green salsa for this weeknight sheet-pan recipe. Head this way for more root veggies recipes.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Gerri Williams33/61Lentil Soup With Greens and Rice
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Gerri K Williams35/61Chipotle-Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
This vegetarian cauliflower taco recipe uses the smoky adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles to bring big flavor to the titular roasted veggies.
Photo by Alex Lau36/61Twice-Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Hot Honey
Why do we all love sweet potatoes? Like the name says, they’re sweet—and creamy, when cooked right. Now imagine them with a touch of honey sassed up with apple cider vinegar and chiles. (You clicked, didn’t you?)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Suzie Myers37/61Caramel Apple Snacking Cake
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams38/61Extremely Cheesy Corn Casserole
True: Corn is not a fall vegetable. But, spiked with jalapeños and garlic, this easy corn casserole relies on the canned stuff—and considering the three cheeses, butter, and breadcrumbs, we’d say it’s fall appropriate (read cozy).
Alex Lau40/61BA’s Best Apple Cider Doughnuts
Apple butter is key to these sugared doughnuts’ tender and moist texture and flavor. Look for it alongside jams and jellies in the supermarket, or at farmers markets, or make your own.
Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li41/61Simple Khichari
A quarter cup each of red split lentils, yellow split mung dal, basmati rice, and white quinoa make this restorative khichari wholesome and filling.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman42/61BA’s Best Macaroni and Cheese
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni43/61BA’s Best Pumpkin Pie
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman44/61BA’s Best Baked Ziti
We know ricotta is traditional, but it tends to get dry and grainy when baked. The fix? Our update uses a creamy Parmesan béchamel in addition to tangy tomato sauce.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks45/61Spaghetti Squash That Fancies Itself Baked Ziti
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott46/61Braised Chicken Thighs With Squash and Mustard Greens
We love sweet, nutty acorn squash for this recipe, but butternut works too. For a Thai-inspired twist to this format (chicken thighs + veg + braise), try these Thai Roast Chicken Thighs With Coconut Rice made with cabbage, coconut milk, fish sauce, and ginger.
Photo by Alex Lau48/61One-Skillet Roasted Sesame Chicken Thighs
Here’s a tip for cooking chicken thighs: If you want to ensure maximum crispiness, make sure you cook them thoroughly on the skin side first to render as much of the fat as possible.
Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mallory Lance, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon49/61BA’s Best Tuna Casserole
With olive-oil-packed tuna, egg noodles, and a crunchy potato chip topping, this fall recipe is the tuna casserole to end all tuna casseroles. While it cooks, make an old-school Italian salad to serve alongside.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Micah Morton. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks50/61Japanese Curry With Winter Squash and Mushrooms
Photograph by Cody Guilfoyle, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie, Food Styling by Thu Buser51/61Spicy Kimchi Sujebi
This is Korean comfort food at its finest: A fiery stew with handmade noodles and a piquant broth with lots of savory flavors from ground meat, garlic, fish sauce, and sesame oil.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams52/61Meatball Soup With Beef Stew Vibes
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca53/61Roasted Carrot Soup With Crispy Shallots
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua54/61Filipino Spaghetti
This is no ordinary Bolognese. This sauce comprises ground pork, jarred marinara, tangy-sweet Filipino banana ketchup, and diced hot dogs. The shredded cheese? That’s edam (or cheddar)—and, yeah, some parm for good measure.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards55/61Cinnamon Apple Crumb Pie
’Tis the season for apples, so we suggest being extra choosy. Opt for sweet-tart firm baking apples such as Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Jonagold. Rather go double-crust? BA’s Best Apple Pie with get you there.
Photograph by Rana Duzyol, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua57/61Easy-Fancy Pear Galette
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens58/61Charred Brussels Sprouts With Warm Honey Glaze
We could eat a different brussels sprouts recipe every night of the week through fall and winter, but this is one we keep coming back to. Roast and toasty sprouts soak in the tangy-sweet dressing, giving them a moreish undeniability.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro59/61Stuffed Poblanos With Beans and Greens
This vegetarian riff on stuffed peppers uses smoky polanos (at the tail end of their season at the start of fall).
Photograph by Carl Ostberg, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Andrea Bonin60/61Creamy Butternut Squash and Plantain Soup
This gingery butternut squash soup recipe is especially appealing during the gorge-fest that is Thanksgiving week. It’s nourishing but revivifying thanks to heat from Scotch bonnet chiles, brightness from a splash of cider vinegar, and impeccable creaminess from the plantain.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca61/61Brown-Butter Banana Nut Muffins
