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Aside from the cooler temperature, what I love about fall are warm sweaters, hot pumpkin spice lattes, and pies!
Not to mention, it’s the best time to give yourself the excuse to make the best fall dinner recipes with ingredients like butternut squash, pumpkins, and maple walnuts. I list out all the best fall dinner ideas below!
What I also love about the Fall season is dabbling with these easy to make fall craft ideas for kids and adults.
Fall is the time where kids go back to school and with Halloween coming up, you won’t want to miss out decorating your home with the spookiest Halloween decor or baking these easy Fall and Halloween desserts for your guests. It’s never too late to look for some inspiration now!
If you’re getting ready for the Fall season, then what’s better than preparing some of the best and easy fall dinner recipes?
The Best Fall Dinner Recipes and Ideas
There are plenty of Instant Pot and Crock-pot recipes for those chilly Fall nights that will satisfy your cravings for comfort food. You can’t afford to miss out on them, so I highly recommend checking out some of the most amazing recipes here:
- The Best Easy Crockpot Recipes That Make Great Comfort Foods
- Easy and Healthy Meal Prep Ideas Ready in Just Minutes
- The Best Instant Pot Recipes To Make Tonight
If you’re anything like me, you love love the fall season. It’s the perfect Goldilocks season – not too hot, not too cold – just right. Unless it’s past the evening where it can get chilly at times, but needless to say, Fall is one of the best seasons to cook and bake the perfect Autumn dishes.
I created a list of easy, simple, and quick fall meals so you can enjoy them with your family, friends, and guests.
All of these easy fall dinner ideas are definite crowd-pleasures and they will surely satisfy your cravings!
1. Healthy Fall Chicken Pot Pie
Recipe and image source: Well Plated
Pot pie is one of the best comfort food for fall and winter. They smell and taste amazing! The fillings are made with a variety of vegetables and healthy proteins that are baked to perfection. This dish is creamy, but you definitely won’t find any butter or heavy cream in the ingredients. As an alternative to heavy cream, it uses almond milk, which is light in calories and diary-free.
2. Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers
Recipe and image source: FoodieCrush
If you’re looking for easy fall dinner ideas that are warm and healthy, then these stuffed peppers will make the perfect fall dish! \
Not only are they very healthy and full of essential vitamins, but they are also not at all complicated to make. Feel free to shop for a variety of different peppers, from red, green, and yellow to a mix of them in between, when making this recipe.
Classic Southwestern flavors, corn, rice, and lean ground beef packed with protein will make this rainbow of colors filled with awesomeness for you and your family!
3. Butternut Squash Fettuccine Alfredo
Recipe and image source: The Kitchn
Squash is one of the best veggies to have especially during the Fall time. It’s packed with vitamin C which will help you fight colds during the wintertime. One way to include squash in your pasta is to turn that into a rich and creamy decadent sauce that’s hard to resist.
Fall wouldn’t be packed without autumn-ness without a fresh plate of traditional Fettuccine Alfred packed with smooth and creamy butternut squash like this one!
Yep, there you’ve got a tasty fall recipe ready at your dinner table – Butternut Squash Alfredo!
4. Sweet Potato, Squash and Kale Buddha Bowl
Recipe and image source: The Girl on Bloor
It doesn’t matter what season it is, you can always enjoy those healthy salads and bowls!
This healthy sweet potato filled with delicious squash and kale will make the perfect as a side dish, a healthy lunch, or even dinner for the family! I guarantee they’ll enjoy the taste of Fall with these roasted vegetables topped with chickpeas and cilantro.
5. Crockpot Beef Stew
Recipe and image source: The Chunky Chef
When you have things to do around the house, you don’t have the luxury of being in the kitchen all day. If you have a busy day ahead of you, let your handy slow cooker do all the work for you! There are plenty of easy crockpot recipes, like this delicious beef stew, that you can prepare ahead of time with very little prep time. The beauty of slow cooking is that dinner is slowly cooking away while you’re going on about your day.
6. Maple Walnut Crushed Salmon
Recipe and image source: The Healthy Foodie
According to Healthline, salmon is one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods. It’s packed with essential nutrients including protein that protects bone health and maintains muscle mass during weight loss and may slow down the aging process.
So, why not include a delicious Fall salmon recipe at least once a week in your meal planning schedule?
This Maple Walnut Crusted Salmon makes a perfect family dish during the Autumn season and it’s topped with Walnuts which is also filled with protein that will keep your belly full throughout the day.
7. Autumn Squash Soup
Recipe and image source: A Simple Palate
Whenever see butternut squash on the ingredients list, you’ll know that it’ll taste amazing even before you make it. This Panera copycat recipe is made using a slow cooker so you can put in all your ingredients in the pot and let your slow cooker do all the cooking.
8. Fall Shepherd’s Pie
Recipe and image source: The Wholesome Dish
The good ol’ classic Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect one-dish family meal for a chilly Fall night. This dish is packed with lean meat, comforting fillings, and delicious creamy mashed potatoes and it’s guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Try this Classic Fall Shepherd’s Pie this week to satisfy your cravings – I bet you’ll be tempted to go back for seconds and thirds!
9. Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Recipe and image source: Well Plated
If you’re looking for an easy Fall recipe that’s lasagna, then you’re going to absolutely LOVE this healthy turkey spaghetti squash lasagna. It’s loaded with protein (because of the lean ground turkey, which is another must-have during the Fall season), and is a delicious low carb alternative to traditional lasagna that’s filled with red meat beef.
Having that said, this recipe makes healthy eating easy during the fall season.
If you’re planning a party this season, I guarantee that this Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with Turkey Meat will be a hit and it will be your new favorite healthy dinner recipe for fall. You definitely don’t want to miss out on this dish!
10. Spicy Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells
Recipe and image source: Half Baked Harvest
Looking for comforting Fall dinner recipes for the family is made easy with this one-of-aking Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells.
If you’re craving for an Italian cuisine packed with fall flavors, then these Jumbo pasta shells filled with basil pesto sauce and ricotta cheese mixture will make the perfect fall dinner idea for tonight. Check out the recipe to read more about how this is baked in a spicy pumpkin vodka sauce making it smooth, creamy, and satisfying!
Perfect for a couple of two, a family of 5 and more, or a small dinner party gathering with friends.
11. Autumn Lentil Quinoa Bowl
Recipe and image source: Running on Real Food
We all know that lentils are an excellent source of vitamin B, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. They are also a great source of plant-based protein and fiber according to Healthline.
If you’re looking for a plant-based and gluteen-free Fall recipe packed with wholesome and healthiness, then you’re going to enjoy this Autumn Lentil Quinoa Bowl.
These vegan red lentil quinoa bowls are full of essential vitamins that will satisfy your hunt for healthy eating meals. Not just that, but they are perfect for meal prep or meal planning to help you save time and money. This tasty Fall dish includes red lentils, quinoa, roasted squash and carrots, broccoli, and lemon tahini sauce for a filling, buddha bowl-style meal.
12. Creamy Potato Soup
Recipe and image source: Sugar Spun Run
As the days get shorter and the temperature starts to drop, it’s the ideal time to cook up a beautiful bowl of creamy potato soup. This recipe teaches you how to make a classic pot of potato soup, with heavy cream, sour cream, and lots of cheese, all in one pot. It’s definitely worth using a cheat day for this meal as the flavors will blow your tastebuds away!
13. Baked Ziti
Recipe and image source: Two Peas and Their Pod
Baked ziti is a classic comfort dish that’s easy to make and super delicious! It’s guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser if you’re planning for a Halloween or Thanksgiving dinner this Fall!
You should seriously try this big pan of Baked Ziti filled with tender pasta, sausage, and smothered in marinara sauce with a mouth-watering cheesy blend that will totally satisfy even the pickiest eater.
To complete these warm meal, serve it with some delicious buttery garlic bread on the side. This baked pasta is bound to become a family favorite for the season!
14. One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner
Recipe and image source: Cooking Classy
Feeding the family can be challenging when work, appointments, and errands eat up most of your time. Rather than turning to ordering takeout food in the evening, why not make a quick and easy pan of chicken and fresh vegetables? Roasting vegetables requires very little effort and they taste great!
We can all take a break from the kitchen and relax on the couch from time to time.
15. Cabbage, Sausage and Potato Soup
Recipe and image source: Gimme Some Oven
This hearty soup is what you need when it’s freezing outside. It’s packed with healthy vegetables and full of flavor. Feel free to substitute the sausage for chicken breast if you want a healthier version of this soup. Serve the soup along with buns and dip away! Nothing warms the body and soul than a nourishing bowl of soup.
Wrap up on Easy Fall Dinner Recipes and Ideas
Did you enjoy this list of easy fall dinner recipes? No matter which dinner recipe you choose to prepare and cook, I guarantee that everyone will enjoy these easy to make recipes for Fall.
Let us know which fall dinner recipes are your favorite by leaving a comment below!
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