59 Warm and Cozy Fall Dinner Ideas

Chicken Pie With Cheese and Green Onion Biscuits — Diana Rattray

Cozy fall flavors and seasonal produce are highlighted in this all-star collection of fall dinner ideas. Easy to make, and even easier to enjoy, you'll come back to this list again and again when you're looking for family dinner ideas or dishes to serve at autumn celebrations. We've got recipes for every course, from appetizers to mains, sides, desserts, and even a few fall cocktails. Plus, we've included delicious vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free options, for those who are interested in eating animal-free.

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Mushroom Carbonara

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Mushroom carbonara is a delicious, meatless and dairy-free alternative to traditional bacon-laden carbonaras. Our vegetarian spin on this classic Italian pasta is a celebration of fall mushrooms (use baby bellas, hen of the woods, or oyster mushrooms). It's got loads of savory flavor, and uses starchy pasta water instead of cheese to create a luscious, creamy sauce.
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Braised Oxtail

The Spruce / Armando Rafael

When temperatures drop in fall, and you start craving heartier dishes, try this Caribbean-style oxtail stew. Braising this tougher cut of meat (yes, it's actually from a cattle tail) in red wine and beef stock, along with onions and a few basic seasonings, is a fabulous way to yield succulent and tender meat. Serve this stew over mashed potatoes or noodles to soak up all that gorgeous sauce.
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Instant Pot Collard Greens

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Collard greens are an essential Southern side dish to add to your dinner table. These collards are seriously bacony, a little sweet and tangy, and totally irresistible. The Instant Pot is a great way to tenderize and quick-cook sturdy greens such as these, and saves you oven space when you are juggling multiple dishes for company,
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Pomegranate Apple Salad With Poppy Seed Dressing

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Whether you're looking for a fall holiday salad, or want to treat yourself to a healthy lunch, this sweet and refreshing apple and pomegranate salad fits the bill. It mingles bright-red, juicy pomegranate seeds, and tart green apple slices, in a light poppy seed dressing. It's ideal for Rosh Hashanah celebrations, and other fall holiday dinners.

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Beet and Cabbage Borscht

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Borscht, a beet soup of Ukrainian origin, has a lovely ruby-red color that will brighten your dinner table. Our thick and hearty version is loaded with roasted red beets, onions, cabbage, and white beans, so it's perfect for fall and winter meals. Use chicken stock as directed, or swap in vegetable broth or even water for a vegetarian soup.
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Ritzy Chicken Casserole

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

This rich and creamy ritzy chicken casserole requires only six ingredients, most of them probably already in your pantry. Condensed soup and sour cream are the secrets to the magical tasting sauce and the entire thing is topped with a buttery Ritz cracker crust.
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Vegetarian Pumpkin Lasagna

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

When you need a meatless entree for Halloween night, Thanksgiving, or any fall dinner, try our incredible, gourmet-style pumpkin lasagna. We've boosted a classic three-cheese lasagna with plenty of pumpkin puree, plus sliced mushrooms, and dried sage leaves, for the ultimate, autumnal vegetarian lasagna.
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Tuscan Chestnut Cake (Castagnaccio)

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Win the dinner party wars with this stunning Italian chestnut cake. It makes a fabulous and unique fall holiday potluck contribution, and will fill your kitchen with wonderful baking aromas. The easy chestnut flour and olive oil batter is filled with sweet raisins, crunchy toasted walnuts, and pine nuts (pignoli), for a nutty-tasting cake that is nutritious and special.

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French Onion Soup

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

French onion soup is an elegant recipe that is wonderfully warming. This easy recipe is really a meal in itself, though you could serve it with a green salad on the side. Caramelized onions are combined with beef broth, butter, olive oil, and a few seasonings to create a filling crock of soup. Topped with melted cheese and a toasted slice of crusty bread, everything about this traditional specialty is indulgent and comforting.
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Snickerdoodle Crème Brûlée

Diana Rattray

Delight dinner guests (and your inner child) with this crème brûlée that is flavored like everyone's favorite snickerdoodle cookies. With a smooth, cinnamon-flavored custard, and a caramelized cinnamon-sugar crust, it is a magical after-dinner treat.
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Spicy Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae or Kimchi Chigae)

The Spruce / Qi Ai

Fiery, hearty, and full of amazing flavor, kimchi stew is a fall dinner winner. This staple of Korean home kitchens and restaurants combines Korea's national dish of kimchi (a spicy, pickled cabbage) with beef, onions, garlic, and tofu, in a bubbling, gochujang-flavored base. It always hits the spot on chilly days.
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Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

The Spruce / Christine Ma

Warm up a crowd on a chilly day with a big pot of Taiwanese beef noodle soup. It is filled with seasoning ingredients, so it's bursting with flavor. The beef and broth are slowly cooked on the stovetop, then it's finished with noodles and bok choy.

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Coq Au Vin

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

French country cooking doesn't get any more homey or satisfying than coq au vin. Originally devised as a way to tenderize tough, older chickens, this cozy dish calls for cutting up a whole chicken from the store, and braising it with lots of delicious veggies, bacon, and wine until everything is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. It's an ideal, one-dish dinner for cold fall and winter evenings.
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Old-Fashioned Cocktail

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

The old-fashioned cocktail is a fall favorite that never goes out of style. All you need to create this classic tipple are a sugar cube soaked in bitters, a shot of whiskey, and an orange peel for garnish. A maraschino cherry is an optional addition that brings some flair to the presentation. Serve in a short glass.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken Tinga

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

This slow cooker chicken tinga recipe is an easy way to enjoy the classic Mexican stew. Filled with flavor, it includes browned chicken thighs, charred Roma tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and onions. It actually gets better after a day or two and can also fill tacos, burritos, and the like.
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Vegetarian and Vegan Roasted Chestnut Soup

The Spruce / Anastasiia Tretiak

Creamy, nutty, and aromatic, our vegetarian and vegan roasted chestnut soup is a wonderful addition to your fall and winter meals. Serve it to kick off your Thanksgiving feast, or enjoy it on chilly weeknights. It comes together in minutes, and cooks in under an hour. Blend it thoroughly, or leave it slightly chunky, to suit your preference.

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Kabocha Tempura

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

If you frequent Japanese restaurants, you probably know all about the addictive powers of crispy battered vegetable tempura. You may be surprised, however, by how easy it is to whip up this tasty appetizer at home in just 20 minutes, with thinly sliced kabocha squash. Make it an appetizer medley with shrimp tempura, or serve it solo for a delicious vegetarian app, with your favorite Asian dipping sauce.
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Creamy Bourbon Chicken With Mushrooms

Diana Rattray

Down home Kentucky flavor is the star of this fabulous creamy Bourbon chicken with mushrooms dish. The liquor is used to baste the chicken as it's being sauteed. Mushrooms and cream are added to the skillet, making a simple sauce that's surprisingly rich in flavor.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, and Cranberries

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

We love a great sheet pan side dish, and this one is made for autumn meals. The oven does a beautiful job of caramelizing cubed butternut squash, halved Brussels sprouts, sliced onion, chewy dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans, with just a little olive oil needed. It's an awesome holiday side dish, or an easy weeknight solution to what to serve with chicken.
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Sausage and Cabbage Stew

The Spruce

This delicious, savory and sweet sausage and cabbage stew is chock full of good-for-you ingredients. Easy on your budget and super filling, it's a wonderful kid-friendly recipe to add to your dinner rotation this fall.

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Ethiopian Doro Wat

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Doro wat is a comforting Ethiopian chicken stew that will warm you up on cooler fall days. It starts with a base layer of onions, which are cooked down into a sweet paste. Some chicken legs go into the pot, along with robust dried spices, aromatics, chicken stock, and hard-boiled eggs. Serve it bubbling hot, with some flatbread or pitas alongside for dipping.
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Vegan Caramelized Carrots

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

With just 3 ingredients needed, and 15 minutes of stove-top cooking, these easy candied carrots are the weeknight side dish you need. Kids love their caramelized brown sugar flavor, and with vegan margarine in the mix, they are suitable for dairy-free eaters, too.
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Butternut Squash Noodles

Anita Schecter

Spiralized, butternut squash makes for tender, flavorful noodles. This recipe drapes it in a creamy, savory garlic and sage sauce for a tasty "pasta" dish. Top with grilled chicken or shrimp or veggies like mushrooms and spinach to make it a main.
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Greek Chicken Soup Avgolemono

The Spruce

If you've dined at a Greek restaurant, or celebrated holidays with Greek friends, you may have met chicken soup avgolemono. This iconic chicken soup thickened with eggs and rice-shaped orzo pasta, and brightened with lemon juice, is a staple accompaniment to special meals in Greece. It's a great way to warm your tummy on colder days.

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Fig Crostini

The Spruce/Molly Watson

Fig season extends through November, making fall a great time to enjoy the naturally sweet and jammy fruit. Chopped roughly, and tossed with a good-quality balsamic vinegar, pepper, and sea salt, figs make a delicious topping for crostini appetizers. Add some goat cheese crumbles on top, if you like, for extra creaminess.
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Deep-Fried Turkey Breast

The Spruce

You don't have to wait for Thanksgiving to try this outrageously tasty deep-fried turkey recipe. Using turkey breasts (versus a whole bird) is a much easier way to make deep-fried turkey, and uses far less oil. In well under an hour, you'll get tender, moist turkey meat, with perfectly-crispy, Cajun-flavored skin. It's a great dish for autumn weeknights, or smaller holiday gatherings.
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Perfect Spinach Lasagna

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Lasagna is always a favorite with busy cooks because it can be made ahead and this veggie-packed version is no exception. Your family is sure to ask for seconds of this perfect spinach lasagna, which is surprisingly simple to prepare. Just layer together ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, jarred marinara sauce, lasagna noodles, and spinach.
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Apple Cinnamon Mule

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Say cheers to autumn with this fall-inspired twist on a Moscow mule. It's a cinch to mix up, and is full of great apple-cinnamon flavor from the addition of apple cider, and a cinnamon stick garnish, to the traditional base of vodka and ginger beer. A copper mug is de rigeur for serving.

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French Onion Soup Pasta

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Everyone loves a pantry pasta, and this one is warm, hearty, and full of French onion flavor. Any home cook can throw together our easy French onion soup pasta with lightly caramelized onions, buttery breadcrumbs, nutty gruyere cheese, and perfectly al dente noodles. It takes just over half an hour to prepare, and makes a great date night dinner.
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Slow Cooker Pork Chops With Apples

The Spruce

Pork chops and apples complement each other beautifully and this fall dinner adds raisins and a tasty tangy brown sugar sauce to the mix. Dried cranberries also make this slow cooker pork chops with apples a great choice for serving at holiday meals. It's also a very easy recipe, with only six ingredients if you don't count the salt.
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Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Pumpkin desserts are popular in the fall, and this layered pumpkin cheesecake may just top the list. From the silky double layer of pumpkin and vanilla fillings, to the cinnamon-spiced graham cracker crust, this luscious cheesecake will look and taste like you baked all day. Nobody needs to know that it came together in mere minutes!
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Pecan Pie

The Spruce / Teena Agnel

Sweet, gooey, decadent pecan pie is a classic fall and winter holiday dessert, but you could easily make this last-minute pie on any weeknight. A ready-made graham cracker pie shell makes preparation a breeze, and the rich, delicious filling tastes oh-so-good when eaten warm from the oven. Top it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an added treat.

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French-Canadian Crock Pot Split Pea Soup

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Split pea soup flavored with ham hocks is a cold weather comfort food from Quebec, Canada, where the winters are bitingly cold. The beauty of this crock pot soup is that the tiny split peas break down during cooking, much like long-cooked lentils, becoming a thick slurry. Carrots, onion, and celery add the traditional, vegetal flavor that Canadians so love.
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Quick and Easy Vegan Biscuits

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

You need just 5 simple ingredients to whip up these light and flaky vegan quick biscuits. They contain no yeast, no eggs, and no dairy, but boast a taste and texture that will fool even non-vegan eaters. Serve them as an essential accompaniment to all your fall vegan and vegetarian meals.
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Pear and Greens Salad

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

This lovely pear and greens salad will easily become a favorite fall recipe. It's simple enough to assemble on any weeknight, but tastes like a restaurant salad. With juicy and tart seasonal pears, tender and slightly bitter greens, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts in a sweet celery seed dressing, it will be the highlight of your meal.
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French Pork Rillettes

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

If you love French pâté, you'll swoon over pork rillettes. The classic Gallic spread is easy to make by slow-cooking pork and duck legs in their own fat, along with a few herbs and seasonings. When shredded after a few hours of hands-free cooking, the meat transforms into a creamy, chunky spread. Serve it as an appetizer atop toasted baguette slices.

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Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pork Loin

The Spruce

Pork tenderloin is a popular and budget-friendly Sunday dinner option. Our crockpot pork loin with a sweet, lightly-spiced brown sugar and cinnamon glaze is a cinch to assemble for the slow cooker, and is sure to please the entire family. Slice and serve it with baked or mashed potatoes, and a side green vegetable, for a no-fuss fall family dinner.
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Grilled Onion-Butter Cod

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Firm, meaty cod fillets are an excellent seafood for grilling. Our quick and easy weeknight recipe includes a fantastic onion, butter, and white wine sauce for topping the fish. You could easily serve it to impress company, along with steamed or grilled baby potatoes, and any vegetable of your choice.
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Cauliflower Cheese

The Spruce

Cauliflower cheese is a great way to stretch a single, inexpensive head of cauliflower into a tasty side dish for six. Our simple, classic recipe smothers cauliflower florets in a smooth and creamy cheddar cheese sauce, and is made on the stove-top, so you can reserve the oven for other dishes.
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Vegetarian Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Hot and sour soup is a Chinese restaurant staple. We've made it vegetarian with our warm and nourishing recipe that uses a deeply-flavored vegetable broth base, instead of the usual meat stock. Loaded with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, garlic, and scallions, it's healthy, rich-tasting, a little spicy, and oh-so-good on colder days.

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Chicken Pot Pie With Cheese Biscuit Topping

Diana Rattray

This fabulous chicken pot pie is topped with savory cheese biscuits, instead of the usual pastry crust for a presentation that'll truly stun. The pie is finished with an egg wash for a nice golden-brown top. You can add chopped fresh parsley or sesame seeds, too.
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Chocolate Martini

The Spruce

On a cold autumn evening, treat yourself to a chocolate martini. It's easy to shake up with vodka and crème de cacao, and is a delicious and boozy way for grown-ups to satisfy a sweet craving. It's also a perfect dessert drink to serve at a dinner party, adorned with a cocoa rim and chocolate candy garnish.
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Fresh Pear Cobbler

The Spruce

Homemade pear cobbler is one of the true delights of autumn. We built our classic, buttery pear cobbler with fresh seasonal fruit, cinnamon, and a few other basic pantry ingredients. Dig into it when it's warm, topping with fresh whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or caramel ice cream for an extra special dessert.
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Greek Horta Vrasta (Boiled Leafy Greens)

The Spruce

When endive shows up at your local grocery store in fall, that's the time to make horta vrasta. This simple dish of wilted greens, dressed with a bit of olive oil and lemon, is a staple in Greek households, and makes a nice, clean-tasting accompaniment to a plate of baked or broiled fish or chicken.

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Vegan Pumpkin Risotto

The Spruce

Pumpkin adds a unique, sweet and savory flavor to classic Italian risotto. Our pumpkin risotto recipe is a delicious addition to any fall, Halloween or Thanksgiving meal. We've made it suitable for vegan diets, by using vegetable broth and vegan margarine. Feel free to add in some nutritional yeast with the fresh herbs, for an extra-cheesy flavor.
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Steak Salad

Katie Workman/themom100.com

Here's a hearty entree salad that won't leave anyone at the table hungry. Steak salad only takes 15 minutes to make and is a smart budget-friendly way to stretch one eight-ounce steak into a full meal for two.
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Creamy Corn and Seafood Chowder

The Spruce / Diana Mocanu

Corn, shrimp, and scallops team up in this creamy corn and seafood chowder. If you don't have fresh seafood on hand, you can use whatever you have in the freezer to make the creamy bowl, including frozen fish fillets or imitation crab.
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One-Pan Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Diana Rattray

This cozy one-pan broccoli macaroni and cheese is a wonderfully warming recipe that's ready in 20 minutes for a fall weeknight meal. It cooks on the stovetop using just one pan for easy preparation and clean-up.

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Hearty Sausage and Tortellini Soup

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

This satisfying and budget-friendly hearty sausage and tortellini soup is loaded with meat, pasta, vegetables, and lots of flavors. Serve with an autumn salad and crusty bread to round out your meal.
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Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs

Bartosz Luczak/Getty Images

Our baked spaghetti and meatballs is a five-ingredient casserole that is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. The combination of tender pasta, succulent meatballs, tomato sauce, and Parmesan cheese is always welcome, especially on cooler fall days. Busy home cooks should definitely save this recipe because it's a one-dish meal that calls for little cleanup.
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Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Butternut squash soup is delicious and nearly effortless when cooked in the crock pot. This recipe uses apples and coconut milk to make it interesting. Throw in cayenne, garlic, nutmeg, and thyme, and you have a flavorful soup everyone will enjoy.
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Pan-Roasted Chicken

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Garlic, rosemary, and shallots add to the flavor of this simple pan-roasted chicken recipe. By using quarters or individual pieces rather than a whole chicken, the cooking time is cut down considerably. While it's finishing up, make a creamy white wine sauce to serve on the side, add some cooked vegetables to the table, and dinner is done.

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Butternut Squash Lasagna

The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo

Lasagna is always welcome on a chilly autumn night, and this recipe featuring a favorite fall vegetable is even more apropos. Mashed roasted butternut squash is layered with a bechamel sauce and a mozzarella-ricotta mixture along with fresh lasagna noodles to make a light and flavorful baked pasta dish. The sage offers a bit of earthiness and Pecorino cheese sprinkled on top creates a nice gooey finish.
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Creamy Shrimp With Spinach and Alfredo Sauce

Diana Rattray

Creamy shrimp with spinach and Alfredo sauce is unbelievably easy to prepare and cook. Thanks to the combination of frozen shrimp, jarred alfredo sauce, and chopped spinach, it's almost as foolproof as it is quick to make. Enjoy the shrimp on its own or as a topping for pasta.
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Cauliflower Chowder

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Cauliflower chowder is a brilliant way to enjoy a creamy, hearty soup with fewer carbs. Potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions round off this vegetarian soup. It makes a great side or appetizer but can also be a meal on its own when served with crusty bread.
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Pork Barbecue Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

Diana Rattray

Your family will start demanding sandwiches for dinner once they've tried these awesome pork barbecue sloppy Joe sandwiches. An easy, tangy homemade barbecue sauce flavors the meat, making them taste a whole lot like pulled pork (minus the long cooking time). This is a great weekend dinner in the fall, when you're coming in hungry from a day spent in the great outdoors.

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Spaghetti Carbonara

The Spruce

When you're craving a rich and decadent pasta dinner, look no further than this creamy spaghetti carbonara. What's not to love about spaghetti tossed with eggs, bacon, a bit of heavy cream, and lots grated Pecorino-Romano cheese? It's a stick-to-your-ribs dinner that's ideal for fall.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew With Potatoes

Diana Rattray

Fall means soups and stews and this simple slow cooker stew with potatoes is not just a crowd-pleaser, it's incredibly easy to prepare in a crockpot. Meaty chicken legs or thighs are slow-cooked with potatoes, corn, onion soup mix, and tomato sauce to form a winning chicken dinner that's packed with flavor and healthy nutrients.
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Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

The Spruce / Pete Scherer

Roast a spaghetti squash then stuff it with a healthy filling for a delicious meal. The stuffed spaghetti squash recipe features cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, Swiss chard, and Parmesan cheese with fresh oregano and rosemary. The squash doubles as the serving dish, and it's an easy recipe to make vegetarian or vegan if needed.