These healthy fall dinner ideas feature the flavors of the season, like squash, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes. From cozy chili to creamy lasagna, these recipes are great for weeknight meals and dinner parties!
Once fall starts, it’s all I can do to hold back on our fall food traditions. There’s the first chili of the season, then the first pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread. And of course, all the squash: risotto, soup, stuffed squash, you name it!
As a cookbook author who’s made hundreds of fall recipes, I’ve compiled me list of all the best cozy fall dinner ideas perfect for the cozy produce of the season. You won’t want to let the season go by without making every single one of these tasty and healthy fall dinner recipes.
My best fall dinner ideas and recipes
This butternut squash lasagna has become one of my favorite fall dinners to serve a crowd. The layers of creamy ricotta and Pecorino Romano melt into the tender squash cubes, while fresh sage adds an earthy punch that makes everyone ask for seconds.
I never expected pumpkin to become my chili game-changer, but pumpkin puree creates this creamy base for the beans and sweet potato! It makes each spoonful feel a little more special than your average chili.
When I need dinner on the table without thinking too much, I turn to stuffed sweet potatoes. The contrast between the sweet orange flesh and savory black bean filling is perfection, and I love that everyone can customize their toppings.
This one pot chicken and rice dish is my go-to fall dinner when I need something comforting that doesn't dirty every pan in the kitchen. It's a family favorite: everyone loves this one! Tender chicken cooks right alongside fluffy rice that soaks up all those savory pan juices.
Another one of my favorite impressive fall dinner recipes is this pot pie! It's the ultimate comfort food without any meat. Earthy vegetables swim in a creamy, sage-infused gravy under a flaky, golden crust. For vegan, try my Vegan Pot Pie with Sage Crust.
There's nothing quite like the nutty pop of cooked wild rice in a creamy soup base. My plant-based version tastes so satisfying, I've served it to dedicated meat-eaters who had no idea it was dairy-free. This is a fan favorite recipe! Also try my Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup.
These enchiladas have been a reader and family favorite for years, and I can understand why! Tender sweet potato pairs with savory black beans and tangy salsa verde, all held together by melted cheese that gets perfectly golden in the oven. It feels surprisingly hearty for a vegetarian dinner.
The smell of shallots and butter and a splash of white wine make this butternut squash risotto feel both healthy and fancy. Sweet roasted squash cubes and fresh sage turn this classic Italian dish into the perfect fall dinner.
Sheet pan dinners have saved me on countless busy weeknights: just toss everything on one pan and let the oven do the work. Here the chicken gets perfectly crispy while seasonal vegetables caramelize around it.
This is another one of my top fan favorite recipes and it's perfect for fall! All the flavors of enchiladas without the rolling make this casserole a weeknight winner. The layers of tortillas, beans, cheese, and sauce all come together in one baking dish.
I've learned the secret to a great kale soup is letting those flavors meld together: the earthy Tuscan kale, creamy white beans, and bright tomatoes. Oregano and fennel give it that Italian soul food quality that's great for the season.
Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with creamy ricotta make a fancy-looking pan that's actually simple to prepare. This fall dinner is perfect for when you have time to let things bake until melty and bubbling.
Warm spices like cumin and cinnamon transform humble chickpeas into a healthy fall dinner that tastes supremely satisfying. This stew tastes like it simmered all day but comes together in under an hour.
Once fall hits and spaghetti squash floods the farmers market, I make this dish on repeat. Roasted squash strands topped with marinara and Parmesan create a lighter take on pasta. I recommend adding protein like pan seared chicken or vegan meatballs.
Bell peppers become edible bowls for a savory rice and bean filling that bakes until tender. I love how each pepper becomes its own portioned serving, and it gives comforting retro vibes.
This plant-based lentil soup wraps you in in a cozy hug: tender lentils, aromatic vegetables, warm spices. It's the kind of soup I crave on a fall evening and it's so simple to put together with minimal ingredients.
People who make this swear it has meat in it, but surprise! It's full of rice, nuts, herbs, and cheese that all together work to make the flavor and texture of meat. It's one of our most popular fall dinner recipes. Serve with Parmesan Potato Wedges or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
This white bean soup has become my weeknight hero: the humble ingredients that somehow create amazing flavor. The brightness of lemon zest and the herby notes from tarragon make simple white beans and potatoes into something special.
Pillowy gnocchi dumplings swimming in creamy pumpkin sauce and topped with melted goat cheese? Yes, please. This baked dish disappears so fast at our dinner table.
These baked meatballs are so much easier than pan frying, and they come out juicy every time. I make a big batch and refrigerate them for quick additions to pasta or soup throughout the week.
My classic vegetarian chili packs so much flavor from chili powder, cumin, and mild green chiles that no one misses the meat. I like to make a big batch because it tastes even better the next day, and works well with cornbread or corn muffins. Also try my Healthy Chili Recipe or Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili.
Creamy coconut milk and warming curry spices turn pantry chickpeas into a flavor-packed cozy fall dinner dinner. Serve it over rice to soak up that flavorful sauce.
The scent of toasted pecans, celery, and leeks cooking in butter makes this stuffed acorn squash smell like Thanksgiving. The sweet roasted squash halves are irresistible covered with this nutty, herbaceous rice filling.
I was skeptical about using cottage cheese in mac and cheese until I tasted how creamy it makes the sauce. It's a high-protein twist that tastes even better than the traditional version (in my opinion!).
This soup tastes like liquid sunshine in a bowl: sweet butternut squash meets coconut milk, ginger, and Thai curry paste. The pureed chickpeas make it heartier than typical squash soups, so it's actually filling enough for dinner.
Taco night gets a fall makeover with these sheet pan sweet potato tacos. Roasted sweet potatoes and black beans are perfect topped with crumbled cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
Welcome to one of our favorite cozy fall dinner ideas: this creamy garlic chicken recipe! The tender, juicy chicken breasts are coated in garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika, then cooked and smothered in a garlic cream sauce.
Red lentils cook down into a flavor-popping curry in just 20 minutes. The way they practically melt into the coconut-tomato sauce creates this luxurious texture I can't get enough of, plus it's topped with a bright green cilantro chutney.
Sauteed mushrooms and tender arborio rice make this risotto taste hearty and earthy: the perfect vegetarian fall dinner! The key is patience with the stirring: but it's so worth it.
This is the soup I make when I need something cozy and restorative: it's pure comfort in a bowl. Tender chicken, fluffy rice, and aromatic vegetables in a golden broth that warms you from the inside out.
Seasonal fall ingredients
What foods are seasonal in the autumn? Some of the seasonal fall ingredients you’ll see in recipes this time of year:
- Squash: Butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkin
- Sweet potatoes
- Brussels sprouts
- Beets
- Cauliflower
- Apples and pears
30 Cozy Fall Dinner Ideas
Pin Recipe
Print RecipeThis butternut squash lasagna recipe is incredible! Ricotta, Pecorino, and sage make a stunning dinner that pleases everyone.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 9
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the butternut squash
- 2-pound butternut squash (medium)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the lasagna
- 9 to 12 lasagna noodles (6 to 8 ounces, gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage, divided, plus additional leaves as desired
- Zest of 1/2 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 16 ounces (2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded Pecorino cheese, divided
- 8 ounces (2 ½ cups) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Boil the squash: Peel and cut the butternut squash into small cubes about 1/2-inch thick. (Go to How to Cut Butternut Squash for a video! A serrated vegetable peeler works best.) Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the squash and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until fork tender (test a piece to see if it is done). Drain, then place in a medium bowl. Mix with the olive oil, kosher salt and garlic powder.
- Meanwhile, boil the noodles*: Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Boil the noodles until just before al dente, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Drain the noodles, then drizzle a baking sheet with a bit of olive oil. Lay the noodles flat onto the sheet, then turn them over so they become coated with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the ricotta sauce: Add 1 tablespoon chopped sage to a medium bowl and reserve about ½ tablespoon for topping the lasagna. To the bowl, add the lemon zest, nutmeg, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper and milk. Stir.
- Layer the lasagna: In a 9” x 13” baking dish, spread ½ cup ricotta sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then top with 1 layer of noodles, ½ of the cooked squash, scant 2/3 cup cheese sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese. Repeat again: 1 layer of noodles (you may need to cut a noodle in half for the side, depending on your pan), the remaining squash, scant 2/3 cup cheese sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese. Finally, top with noodles (again, you may need to cut a noodle in half for the top layer), then the remaining ricotta sauce spread with a spatula. Sprinkle the entire top with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ⅓ cup Pecorino cheese, and ½ tablespoon sage.
- Bake the lasagna: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes, until the top is browned. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days and reheated in a 400°F oven. (See make ahead and storage notes below.)
Notes
*If you use fresh lasagna noodles, they don’t need to be boiled.
Make ahead ideas: Boil the butternut squash in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake. Boil the noodles in advance and refrigerate, making sure they’re coated in a little olive oil.
Or make ahead the entire pan: Make the entire lasagna prior to baking, then refrigerate overnight. Increase the bake time as needed to cook until it’s warmed through and the cheese has browned.
Storage info: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Or freeze them: it’s easiest to cut it into single servings and freeze each in separate containers. To reheat, defrost the lasagna the refrigerator, then place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.
Other fall dinner recipes to try
Head to my favorite fall appetizers, fall cocktails, and fall desserts to pair with these meals.
For more drinks, try my top fall drinks, fall bourbon cocktails or fall vodka cocktails.
If you’re craving soup, try my fall soup recipes or hearty soup recipes.
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