31 October Dinner Ideas That Are Perfect for Sweater Weather

A dollop of seasoned labneh (or Greek yogurt) takes these healthy bowls from everyday to over the top.

The primary purpose of zoodles? They’re a vehicle for all that luscious, spicy sauce. (Put an egg on it, if you please.)

Salty, savory, tangy, cheesy—this autumn pasta hits all the right notes. The nine-ingredient delight gets its briny kick from apple cider vinegar.

This year, we’re heading into butternut squash season with open minds and empty stomachs.

For when even the kids are sick of spaghetti. Polenta isn't as fussy as you may think; you only have to stir this one every so often to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

When you’d rather be watching spooky movies than standing around in the kitchen, this 20-minute stir fry is exactly what you should make for dinner.

Something magical happens when you combine store-bought gnocchi, flavor-packed sausage and a cast iron skillet. (You guessed it: It’s this game-changing meal.)

It’s creamy and dreamy without any butter or cream (though it is loaded with grated Parm). Squash is transformative like that.

All these impossibly crisp fried chops need before you inhale them is a spritz of lemon. Use every bit of the fresh dill, chives and spring onions in the yogurt dip—herb stems are loaded with flavor.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: soup season. Celebrate with this bowl of coziness, starring store-bought, cheese-filled pasta and alllll the Parmesan cheese.

Our favorite part about this charcuterie masterpiece? It's served on a chic cutting board, so all the toppings are easily accessible instead of trapped at the bottom of a bowl.

A slew of warm spices (ginger! turmeric! cumin!) make this vegetarian dish a worthy alternative to traditional tandoori chicken. And the tahini sauce? You'll want to drizzle it on every salad you make this fall, trust.

Only 40 minutes stand between you and this beefy dinner staple. Feel free to use pesto, vodka sauce or cream sauce instead of marinara in the stuffed pepper filling.

Carnitas tacos, but make 'em vegetarian. The garlic-thyme shrooms are served on pita bread instead of tortillas with a generous dose of pickled beet mayo.

Flaky fish, crispy bacon, garlicky greens and briny capers—what more can you ask for in a lightning-fast seafood dish? You handle dinner, we'll bring the white wine.

It’s spicy, sweet, hearty and just so happens to keep really well in the freezer. Need we say more?

Cold weather calls for warm salads. Raw kale can be tough to chew on, but sautéing it in a zingy honey-ginger dressing for a couple minutes will soften it just right.

Whether you're cooking for an intimate date night or an elegant dinner party, you can never go wrong with seared steak. (BTW, the parsley salad will change how you see the underrated herb forever.)

This risotto sounds and looks complicated, but it’s actually quite simple. Butternut squash purée is stirred in with chicken broth, and the results are *chef’s kiss.*

Save the kale Caesar for another night. This salad is packed with fall flavors, plus plenty of chickpeas to fill you up.

This buttery meal will make you fall in love with shellfish (and pasta) all over again. Try to find whole, head-on shrimp—they add so much flavor to the sauce and tint it a pretty coral color.

Give us the chance to eat sweet, creamy squash as a main course and we’ll take it. The combination of lemony yogurt sauce and brown butter is—dare we say—divine.

Who needs bowls when you can lean on big, juicy mushrooms instead? This meal tastes decadent, but it’s actually pretty healthy.

You can’t go wrong with this pairing. We love the way the carrots soak up some of the chicken's flavorful juices as they cook.

Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, dried cranberries and a to-die-for maple dressing put this salad firmly in fall territory. Drive the theme home by adding winter squash or broccoli to boot.

The key to crispy tofu is to press all the liquid out before cooking it, so don’t skip that step. Serve the squash with rice on the side to create a filling main course.

Hit the farmers market for the prettiest cherry tomatoes you can find one last time before winter comes. Then, bake them with garlic and plate them with tender salmon, coated in store-bought pesto.

Typically, you’d spend at least an hour caramelizing onions on your stovetop for this soup. Our recipe relies on the trusty slow cooker instead to keep it low-maintenance.

Salad for dinner isn’t just a summer thing. This one has roast cauliflower and crisp apples, so it’s satisfying, seasonal and light at the same time.

Mischief night calls for a scary delicious—and devilishly nostalgic—dinner. Pepitas, sweet spuds and dried cranberries are sure to get you in the Halloween spirit.

It’s Halloween. If you’re not eating dinner straight out of a pumpkin, you’re doing it wrong. Bonus points for topping the soup with toasted pepitas from this year's jack-o'-lantern.