Easy Fall Dinner Ideas and Recipes
30 cozy and easy fall dinner ideas and recipes for the busy home cook.
The return to a school schedule in fall is always a welcome routine. It also means we have to get serious about dinner ideas. Casual summer suppers are replaced with slightly more intentional eats; that’s just what works best for us.
Fall is when I get back into menu planning and meal prepping. These strategies are not only sanity savers, but they help me to stay mindful of budget requirements and zero waste goals.
My tried and true, easy fall dinner ideas and recipes are for the busy home cook who still wants to enjoy cozy dinners. Let’s go!
First: Try These Dinner Strategies
If I don’t have a dinner plan, we’re in trouble! We have a busy household and my 16-year-old is training for cross country. He eats two dinners a day, one with us around 6:30 and again around 10pm.
I’ve had to increase my food prep, and have taken to cooking extra and stashing leftovers in the fridge for his second suppers.
A combination of weekly meal planning, meal prep, and batch cooking help me to stay on top of feeding the family. Here’s the process, with links to expand each step.
- Part 1: Meal Plan – Brainstorm a week of dinner ideas and shop for only what you need.
- Part 2: Meal Prep – Process ingredients into ready-to-go elements for meals throughout the week.
- Part 3: Batch Cooking – Cook multiples of a dish to be frozen and reheated.
Easy Fall Dinner Ideas and Recipes
From homemade mac & cheese to a quick sheet pan roast chicken, your next dinner solution is right here in this line up of thirty recipes!
- Chicken Winners
- Beef, Pork and Lamb
- Seafood Suppers
- Vegetarian Mains
- Comfort Food Pasta Dinners
- Salad Can Be Dinner Too
- Beloved Sides
Chicken Winners
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili ~ A true set it and forget it supper. Nourishing comfort food. Freezes well.
Chicken Meatball Rice Bowls ~ Batch cook these tender meatballs and let the family customize their own power bowls.
Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner ~ My simplest roast chicken dinner. Perfect for fall. Just add gravy!
Big Batch Chicken Noodle Soup ~ A comfort food essential, we always have a batch in the freezer for a quick dinner.
Spiced Lentils with Squash and Chicken ~ A hearty, one-pot meal that perfect for fall: Turkish-style spiced lentils with tender squash and chicken, bolstered with seasonal greens.
Butter Chicken with Chickpeas ~ Spice up dinner with this easy do-ahead meal. Can be made in the slow-cooker or stovetop.
Beef, Pork and Lamb
Pork Chops with Roasted Pears, Sage and Shallots – Fall flavours complement each other in this decadent one-pan meal of maple-glazed seared pork chops and roasted pears.
Creamy Beef Stroganoff Soup ~ This comforting one pot meal comes together in minutes from pantry ingredients and a pound of ground beef.
French Onion Pot Roast ~ My most popular dinner recipe of 2023, this post roast is EVERYTHING! Luxurious, decadent, flavourful, tender, and best of all, even better on the second and third day. Freezes well so go ahead and batch cook this one.
Hearty Sausage Vegetable Soup ~ This cozy soup simmers into a magical dinner with a few sausages and a heap of pantry staples. It’s very versatile, so adapt it to use what you have on hand.
Sheet Pan Lamb Chops ~ Here’s a quick, no-fuss meal that feels decadent. Swap out the cauliflower for other soft vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli or zucchini.
Classic Beef Stew with Root Vegetables ~ You can’t have fall dinner ideas without a classic beef stew. This is one of my most popular recipes; delicious with mashed potatoes.
One Pan Roast Sausages with Vegetables ~ A true 30-minute meal, this is the quintessential sheet pan supper. Use your favourite fall vegetables and any family favourite sausages.
Spiced Taco Beef and Beans ~ Taco night returns with fall dinners. This taco filling stretches a pound of ground beef with beans and quinoa to feed a family of 5-6.
Seafood Suppers
Living in the maritimes means easy access to fresh seafood. Here’s how I like to serve it up.
White Fish and Leek Chowder ~ Grab new potatoes, leeks and an ear of corn at the farmers market then make this simple and sensational chowder!
Sheet Pan Fish Tacos ~ My go-to recipe for fish tacos is baked, not fried, packed with flavour and loved by the whole family.
Rainbow Rice Noodle Salad with Shrimp and Sesame ~ A great make-ahead dinner or dinner on the go, this main dish salad is fresh and packed with crunchy veggies.
Vegetarian Mains
In the Simple Bites kitchen, easy fall dinner ideas and recipes always include vegetarian options. Not only are they easy but we like to lean into the plant based proteins in the cooler months. Ingredients like beans, lentils and chickpeas are stocked in the pantry, and these recipes are our go-to dinners.
Red Lentil Lasagna ~ One pan comfort food that comes together in a flash, thanks to quick cooking red lentils.
Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Red Lentil Soup ~ Pantry staples come together beautifully in this nourishing and flavourful fall soup.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili ~ Everyone needs a vegetarian chili recipe in their repertoire and this is ours. Bold spices add layers of flavour to this rustic chili, while sweet potatoes bring a wonderful earthiness.
Sesame Stir Fried Tofu – Serve this crispy tofu with Charred Broccoli and rice, then top it all off with my Dragon Sauce.
10 Vegetarian Dinners for Winter Months ~ More recipes!
Simple Lentil, Pumpkin and Kale Soup ~ Autumn in a bowl! Seasonal vegetables shine in this rustic stew/soup that serves up comfort in every bite.
Rustic Chickpea Stew with Apricots & Turnip ~ This slow cooker stew is pure fall comfort food. It’s nourishing and easy to make. I like to serve mine with cous cous.
Comfort Food Pasta Dinners
When the weather turns cold, comfort food is one of life’s simple pleasures. Pasta tops of the list in this category; from cheesy lasagne to an earthy beet spaghetti, there’s something for everyone.
Creamy Bacon, Leek and Mushroom Fettuccine ~ Simple, seasonal comfort food for fall.
Roasted Vegetable Skillet Lasagne ~ Fall is the best time to make this veggie-packed pasta bake. Load up at the farmer’s market and hit the kitchen.
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese ~ I make this dish most in the fall, paired with roast squash for me and a simple side of broccoli for the kids. It wins dinner every time.
Roasted Beet & Garlic Pasta ~ A vibrant, healthy vegetarian pasta dish that uses beets, walnuts and garlic to their full potential.
Salad Can Be Dinner Too
Fall (and winter) salads are hearty and substantial, thanks to rustic greens, roasted vegetables…and the occasional handful of bacon. Dinner (and a serving or three of vegetables) that won’t weigh you down.
The Best Italian Chopped Salad ~ A year-round staple, this salad is at it’s best in fall, when all the varieties of radicchio arrive at the market.
BLT Caesar Pasta Salad ~ This salad hits all the flavours of a beloved BLT, but features healthy greens and chewy pasta shells. Totally addicting.
Build a Big Winter Salad ~ This tutorial is perfect for fall too. It’s a useful salad formula that can be as simple or complex as you like. Keeping zero waste in mind, it’s designed to help you clean out the fridge and turn what you have into dinner.
Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Halloumi ~ Make this hearty salad all fall and winter. Instead of grilling, use the broiler to char onions and crisp up the cheese.
Beloved Sides
A lot of home cooks get stumped by side dishes, to be honest. Here are our go-to sides for fall and winter. They lean heavily toward to the comfort food side of things.
Simple Pesto Buns – Nothing better with a bowl of soup. Really want to to level up? Upgrade to Garlic Buns with Baked Brie!
Simple Skillet Cornbread ~ Essential with chili and rustic stews, this is a simple, stir-together side dish.
Delicious vegetable sides that are perfect for fall:
- Charred Broccoli Three Ways
- Roast Squash with Yogurt and Spiced Pistachios
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Butternut Squash Gratin
Three Cozy Fall Desserts
I’ll leave you with just three easy dessert recipes for fall. This list is intentionally absent of pie, because you already have all those recipe in my pie round-up.
Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding ~ If you haven’t tried this recipe, you must make it this fall. It’s life changing, and not just because it’s a genius zero waste dish.
Apple Cider Gingerbread Bundt ~ This showstopper dessert checks allll the boxes: comforting, classic, easy, do-ahead, seasonal… I could go on! It’s the perfect dessert to carry you into Thanksgiving and beyond.
Chocolate Pretzel Monster Cookies ~ The kids and I love to give these a fall spin with Reese’s Pieces. Of course they are the ideal carrier for Halloween candy.
Whew! Thanks for reading. I hope you found some inspiration in these 30 cozy and easy fall dinner ideas and recipes.
Original article: Easy Fall Dinner Ideas and Recipes