Fall Meal Ideas

Fall is without a doubt my favorite season of the year. I love the beautiful colors, sunny yet cooler October days, college football, and the anticipation of the upcoming holidays. And, of course, there is all of the fall food to enjoy! Pumpkin spice, cinnamon, hearty roasts and stews… need I say more?? This post is a round-up of some of my favorite fall recipes (by category) for you to try as well as some other ideas I’ve gathered from some of my favorite cooking blogs that I have yet to try. Maybe you’ll find a couple to add as part of your favorite fall dishes year after year!

SOUPS & CHILI:

• The Best Turkey Chili: This is hands-down my favorite chili – serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and a side of cornbread with honey and butter!
• Hearty Chicken and Rice Soup with Kale: One of my favorite soups, I love to serve this with a side of homemade sourdough – a fall dinner at its finest!
• Black Bean Soup: This soup is a quick and easy yet delicious dinner – serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla chips for dipping.
• Curried Beat Soup with Tandoori Chickpeas
• Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup 
• Butternut Squash Soup

STIR FRYS & CURRIES:

• Ginger Cashew Chicken Stir Fry: I love the flavors in this dish and enjoy serving it over quinoa or brown rice!
• Thai Red Curry with Vegetables: I like to serve this as a vegetarian dish, but I think it would be excellent with chicken, salmon, or shrimp as well!
• Thai Peanut Curry

PASTA:

• Spinach Pumpkin Lasagna: This is one of my favorite lasagnas to make… give it a try and see what you think!
• Pumpkin Sage Pasta: A simple pasta dish to throw together – I love the sage flavor that is immersed throughout the dish.
• Pasta with Caramelized Sweet Potatoes and Kale
• Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese 
• Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Sage Brown Butter Sauce 

CASSEROLES & ONE-POT WONDERS:

• Moroccan Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Couscous: A comforting, hearty meal with plenty of warm spices.
• All-In-One Thanksgiving Casserole: I have yet to try this one, but think it is an excellent idea for this year’s leftover turkey!
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

SLOW-COOKER:

• Salsa Verde Chicken Chickpea Chili: One of Alec’s favorites, this dish comes together effortlessly and also provides delicious leftovers. Serve topped with cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and tortilla chips for dipping.
• Yellow Chicken Curry: A fabulous blend of protein, veggies, and spices to let simmer in the slow cooker! Delicious over brown rice and served on its own or with a side salad.
• Slow-Cooker Beef Stew
• Pulled Pork and Apples 

MISCELLANEOUS IDEAS:

• Sheet-pan dinner with chicken, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and dried cranberries (also plenty of fresh thyme and rosemary)
• Scrambled eggs with apple, cheddar, and rosemary
• Sage and Pecan Crusted Tilapia
• Ground Beef Naan Tacos: Who says a taco has to be Mexican-flavored? Give this one a try with some delicious, fresh naan.
• Apple and Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

SALAD COMBOS: Try these as part of lunch or as a side to any of the above dishes!

• Pear, dried cherries, shredded parmesan, and roasted pecans
• Apple, roasted brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, and roasted pecans
• Pear, goat cheese, dried cherries or cranberries, and roasted pecans
• Apple, cheddar, and roasted pecans

I’d love to hear if you give any of the above recipes a try! We have pumpkin pasta on the menu for tonight, followed with some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, as you can never have too much pumpkin in my opinion! Hope you have a wonderful week!