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105 Fall Dinner Ideas Starring Easy Seasonal Recipes

Bring on the cranberry, pumpkin and apple everything—come sweater season, we're hungry for all things autumnal. If you're anything like us, you need to try making one (or all) of these 105 fall dinner recipe ideas. They'll satisfy your cravings for seasonal produce (we're talking Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and white potatoes, just to name a handful) and cozy dishes that just taste better in cooler weather, like comforting soups, casseroles, one-pot recipes and slow-cooker meals.

Whether you're whipping up a quick weeknight dinner like butternut squash carbonara during busy back-to-school season, throwing a casual backyard party starring balsamic cranberry chicken or serving pumpkin soup at an epic Halloween party (or Thanksgiving dinner), these easy fall dinner ideas are bound to impress.

50 Halloween Appetizers That Are Easy, Impressive and Oh So Seasonal


1. Sheet-pan Lemon Butter Veggies And Sausage

Two things we love: hands-off dinners and (practically) zero dishes. Feel free to throw in any near-rotten vegetables that you forgot about in the fridge.

2. Balsamic Cranberry Roast Chicken

One bag of frozen cranberries goes a long way. Despite being so low-lift, this chicken recipe is pretty enough for any holiday spread.

3. Harissa Chickpea Stew With Eggplant And Millet

Rice? We don't know her. Millet is our preferred ancient grain for this wholesome recipe. Swap in quinoa or farro for more tasty iterations.

4. Cheater's Prosciutto Hawaiian Pizza

It starts with store-bought flatbread, so it's easier to make than it looks. (Any excuse to fire up the barbecue one last time before its winter hibernation, right?)

5. Vegetarian Quinoa Bake

Coterie member Gaby Dalkin believes in the power of cheese, and so will you after one bite of this meatless gem.

6. Butternut Squash Carbonara

Don’t tell the kids it’s packed with hidden veggies. All they care about is the pasta, pancetta and Parm anyway.

7. Bulgur With Roasted Butternut Squash, Sage And Goat Cheese

Pretty much the only thing we love more than our warmest sweater.

8. Spicy Turkey Enchiladas With Pumpkin Seeds

Swap in rotisserie chicken for roast turkey as you see fit, but this recipe is basically a Black Friday tradition at our place.

9. The Ultimate Chicken Potpie

Simple store-bought puff pastry to the rescue.

10. Mexican Posole Soup

This chili-soup hybrid is loaded with chicken, chiles and hominy, a treated type of large-kernel corn.

11. One-pot, 15-minute Pasta Limone

That was easy. (Seriously, you don't even need to boil a separate pot of water for the pasta.)

12. Cauliflower Steaks With Lemon-herb Sauce

Garlic, lemon, cilantro, mint, lemon—these cauliflower steaks are positively loaded with flavor.

13. Easy One-pan Ratatouille

This French classic comes together in less than an hour, and it's an epic way to end tomato season with a bang.

14. Oven-roasted Buffalo Wings

Admit it: It’s what everyone wants. Serve them with plenty of ranch dressing and crudités.

15. Chrissy Teigen's Cheesy Chicken Milanese Recipe

Our celeb crush doesn’t mess around with fussy dinners, and this 40-minute meal is proof.

16. General Tso's Cauliflower

Psst: It pairs extraordinarily well with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Just sayin'.

17. Soba Noodles With Peanut Sauce

It's on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes (and loaded with protein to boot).

18. The Best Damn Tomato Soup

Don’t settle for the stuff in a can if you can help it because TBH, you can do so much better. Grilled cheese sammies, anyone?

19. Roasted Cauliflower Sliders

Plain vegetarian brilliance. Did we mention they're slathered in hummus *and* spicy yogurt spread?

20. Huevos Rancheros

Yet another way to put an egg on it. Feel free to add ground chorizo if you'd like meat in the dish.

21. Spicy Chicken Stir-fry

Throw everything into a skillet and bam—dinner is served faster than you can say, "for delivery, please."

22. Zoodle Stir-fry

Bye-bye carbs. This veggie-happy meal comes together in no time.

23. Baking Sheet Quesadillas

Why fold and cook a bunch of small tortillas when you can just bake one enormous one?

24. 15-minute Lemony Broccolini Pasta

Eight billion times better than spaghetti and jarred sauce.

25. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Our love for our cast-iron skillet runs deep. Serve with plenty of lime wedges and fresh guacamole.

26. Sheet Pan Pomegranate Chicken And Roasted Squash

Full disclosure: We could eat this every night for the rest of our lives.

27. Polenta And Meatballs

Creamy, satisfying comfort food? Coming right up. (Plus, spaghetti is far less exciting than polenta, no?)

28. Pork Scallopini With Lemon, Capers And Radicchio

One pan, endless possibilities. You're only 20 minutes away from this crispy stunner.

29. Cauliflower Fried Rice

Just as savory and satisfying as takeout, minus the carbs. Good looking out, cauliflower.

30. Vegetable Wellington With Mushrooms And Spinach

Hearty “meat” pies without the stomachache. We'd bookmark this now to make on Thanksgiving for your vegetarian relatives if we were you.

31. Greek Turkey Burgers With Tzatziki Sauce

Burger season isn't over until we say so. This lean handheld is best paired with dry white wine. (Or apple juice for the kiddos.)

32. 15-minute Cheater's Pad Thai

Tempted to order in (um, again)? Try this dish that's loaded with rice noodles, peanuts and ground pork instead.

33. Spiralized Winter Vegetable Gratin

We'd honestly take a nap under all that gooey cheesy on a pillow of parsnips, sweet potatoes and butternut squash if we could.

34. Flank Steak Tacos With Cucumber Salsa

Don't let this seemingly tough-to-master protein intimidate you. Your grill pan has it covered.

35. Tortellini Soup With Italian Sausage

Aka a vehicle for meat, cheese and pasta.

36. Kale Salad With Persimmons, Crispy Chickpeas And Fried Shallots

Don't tell the turkey but this app is hearty (and gorgeous) enough to steal the show at Thanksgiving.

37. Pasta Alla Norma

Think of it as a healthier, five-ingredient eggplant Parm.

38. Cheater's Skillet Paella

Behold, our favorite way to wow the pants off a crowd. We narrowed the seafood down to shrimp and littleneck clams, so it'll only take you an hour from start to finish.

39. Rotisserie Chicken Ramen

Flavorful, filling and, most importantly, super simple. The microwave kind you lived on in college doesn't even come close.

40. Skillet Gnocchi With Sausage And Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe doesn't get the attention it deserves, but we love the chewy, slightly bitter veggie to bits.

41. Shrimp With Cauliflower Grits And Arugula

Thirty-minute dinners for the win. (And check out cauli rice's new look.)

42. Baking-sheet Pizza With Olives And Sun-dried Tomatoes

Tastes like it was made in an ancient stone pizza oven. (Spoiler: It wasn’t.)

43. Ginger-pineapple Shrimp Stir-fry

Like a ray of warm sunlight on a crisp fall day. Oh, before you ask, you don't need to peel the ginger before mincing it.

44. Tomato Soup In Grilled Cheese Bread Bowls

C'mon, the bread bowl topper is a grilled cheese sandwich. It's plain ingenious.

45. Skillet Steak With Asparagus And Potatoes

You love ordering sirloin at restaurants—why not make it at home?

46. Baked Sesame-ginger Salmon In Parchment

Love cooking but hate doing dishes? Join the club. This beauty bakes in parchment, so you can throw the mess away as soon as the salmon is cooked.

47. 15-minute Mezze Plate With Toasted Za'atar Pita Bread

We officially give you permission to eat a plate of fancy snacks for dinner.

48. One-pan Steak With Beets And Crispy Kale

No fuss, no mess, all the bragging rights. You're only six ingredients away.

49. Baked Chicken And Mushroom Risotto

Who has time to stand over a hot stove and stir (and stir and stir)? With this shortcut, you don't have to.

50. Cacio E Pepe

It's ready in 20 minutes and you likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. Need we say more?

51. Butternut Squash, Sausage And Kale Gnocchi

Guaranteed to delight the whole fam. Thanks, Coterie member Maria Lichty.

52. Pesto Quinoa Bowls With Roasted Veggies And Labneh

Everything roasts together on a single sheet tray, leaving you with minimal dirty dishes to clean.

53. Skillet Eggs And Chorizo

This decadent one-pan egg dish takes just 30 minutes to whip up.

54. Spicy White Chili With Pulled Chicken And Beer

Coterie member Jess Larson gives you permission to toss back a cold one while you’re whipping it up.

56. 10-minute Pad See Ew

Yup, ten minutes. Is it cool if we eat this for dinner every single night?

55. 15-minute Skillet Pepper Steak

Eat the rainbow (and peanut oil-kissed top round).

57. 20-minute Shrimp Scampi Zoodles

We mean it this time: We’re never going back to angel hair again.

58. Buffalo Chicken Wraps With Blue Cheese And Celery

Pack the leftovers for lunch and knock two meals out of the way. (The key is starting with store-bought rotisserie chicken.)

59. Spicy Maple Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts With Crispy Bacon

Coterie Member Monique Volz knows the way to our heart.

60. Grilled Lemon-herb Chicken And Avocado Salad

Refreshing and filling, thanks to a zingy herb-spiked lemon marinade.

61. Perfect Meatballs With Cherry Tomato Sauce

Few things in life are truly flawless, but this dish makes the cut.

62. Greek Chicken And Rice Skillet

The chicken turns golden-brown while the rice becomes magically crispy. Just trust us on this one.

63. Cheater’s Italian Wedding Soup

No one will ever know you cut corners by using canned beans and finishing the sausage meatballs in the soup.

64. Vegan Butternut Mac And ‘cheese’ With Smoky Shiitake ‘bacon’

Forget cheddar. We’re all about rich, creamy puréed squash.

65. Firecracker Chicken With Rice

Shocker: It’s low-maintenance. Serve it with plenty of steamed white rice and sliced scallions.

66. 30-minute Cheater’s Beef Stroganoff

Comforting like Mom’s cooking. But honestly? Better. (Just don't tell her.)

67. Slow-cooker Whole Chicken With Potatoes

Throw the whole damn bird in and leave the rest of the work to your Crock-Pot.

68. Loaded Baked Potato And Cauliflower Soup

Tasty and comforting enough to turn any gloomy day around.

69. 20-minute Paleo Egg Roll Bowls

Get the savory pork-and-veggie filling you crave without having to fuss with egg roll wrappers.

70. Cheater’s White Wine Coq Au Vin

Because we’re fancy (ish), we updated this French classic so it comes together in under an hour.

71. Pumpkin Polenta

Try it once and it'll become a weekly cold-weather staple in no time.

72. Beet Salad With Carrot, Quinoa And Spinach

You won’t find any lettuce in this colorful salad. Add grilled chicken to make it more filling.

73. Butternut Squash Pizza

Move over marinara: You’re so last season.

74. Cheesy Roasted Mushroom Melt

Never underestimate the power of a grilled cheese sandwich.

75. The Best Damn Pumpkin Soup

Regular bowls? Yawn. Serve the soup in hulled-out pumpkins (and bake the seeds for a garnish) to wow your guests.

76. Herb Crusted Pork Cutlets

Ditch the chicken and try something new.

77. Chicken With Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Real talk: We’d eat this sauce by the spoonful. (And we're betting some self-proclaimed mushroom haters out there would, too.)

78. Crispy Cauliflower Tacos

It’s officially cauliflower season. Let’s celebrate by blowing everyone at Taco Tuesday away.

79. One-pan Sausage With Broccoli Rabe And White Beans

Don’t even think about dirtying all those dishes.

80. Butternut Squash Lasagna

We have a secret: You won’t find any pasta in this lasagna…but we promise you won’t even miss it.

81. Maple Herb Roasted Turkey Legs

Want to keep Thanksgiving low-key this year? Instead of roasting the whole bird, try just cooking the legs instead.

82. Beet And Goat Cheese Tart

Pie for dinner? Don’t mind if we do.

83. Gnocchi Mac And Cheese

Our two favorite pasta dishes just collided to create this mouthwatering masterpiece.

84. Kale Minestrone

One spoonful and you'll never looked at the canned kind the same way again.

85. Vegetable Potpie

Whenever a comfort food craving strikes...you know what to do.

86. Cornbread Tamale Pie

Fact: We’ll eat anything if it’s cooked in a skillet. (Especially if it's oozing with beef and cheese.)

87. One-pot Autumn Herb Roasted Chicken

All our favorite flavors of the season in one pot.

88. Kale Caesar Salad

Some dinners never go out of style. Massage the kale with olive oil for a few minutes to tenderize it.

89. Potato And Burrata Pizza

Hey now, hey now, this is what dreamsssss are made of.

90. 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.

91. Whole Roasted Chipotle Chicken

The most impressive way to feed a crowd. Your guests will have no clue how little effort it took to make.

92. Honey-mustard Sheet Pan Salmon

Easy, delicious, healthy *and* lightning fast? We’re in love with this simple fall dinner.

93. Mini Cranberry Potpies

Move over, chicken—we’re in the mood for something unexpected. Each potpie serves two (or um, one).

94. Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Red curry paste? Check. Coconut milk? Check. Fresh lime, cilantro and tamari? You betcha.

95. Pomegranate-sumac Chicken With Roasted Carrots

Pro tip: Save your carrot greens. They make for the prettiest finishing touch.

96. Jake Cohen’s Kugel And Cheese

This Jewish take on mac and cheese shouldn't have to wait for Hanukkah to make its debut. It's creamy and decadent, thanks to sour cream and four types of cheese: cottage, mozzarella, Gruyère and sharp cheddar.

97. Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Make the most of broccoli season by spending 20 minutes on this flavorful pasta dish. Green olives, fresh basil and grated Parm make the pesto sauce one for the books.

98. Baked Ginger And Lemon Chicken

Hello, gorgeous. Your guests won't believe their eyes when this one-hour wonder hits the table. (The fact that the ingredients are mostly pantry staples is just a bonus.)

99. 30-minute Breakfast Hash With Kale And Sweet Potatoes

We're always down to make breakfast for dinner. And luckily, this 30-minute hash is equal parts filling and nutritious.

100. Crispy Cast-iron Skillet Pizza With Fennel, Sausage And Garlic

It turns out your trusty cast-iron skillet is the ultimate pizza stone, since it guarantees an impossibly crispy crust and pillowy interior.

101. Skillet Roast Chicken With Shmaltzy Potatoes

This dish requires a bit of patience, since the recipe calls for brining the chicken in buttermilk for at least four hours. But once you sink your teeth into the bird's browned, crackly skin, you'll see that it's worth the wait.

102. Pozole Verde

This flavorful Mexican dish just might be our favorite vegetarian soup of all time. The chiles and aromatics are roasted in the oven before being blended to concentrate their flavor.

103. Miso-tahini-glazed Roasted Eggplant With Farro

Eggplant is in season through October, so we're indulging every chance we get. Here, it's roasted until tender, then doused in an umami-rich glaze atop a bed of toothsome farro.

104. Sheet-pan Cashew Chicken

Sheet-pan meals are lifesavers in terms of cleanup, but it can be tough to bake all the components to perfection when they have different cooking times. The key here is roasting the vegetables first until they're soft, then adding the chicken.

105. Sheet-pan Gnocchi With Sausage, Peppers And Onions

Whether it comes in soup, mac and cheese or atop potatoes, we love gnocchi in all its forms. Melt some provolone cheese on top for a cheesesteak-inspired twist.


For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.


heathgoldmanheadshot 1

Food Editor

From 2017 to 2019 Heath Goldman held the role of Food Editor covering food, booze and some recipe development, too. Tough job, eh?

taryn pire

Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...