47 Better-For-You Fall Recipes You Can Feel Good About
You're going to want a lighter dinner to save room for all the pie & Halloween candy, right?
Come fall, it's kind of hard to get our mind off pie. There’s pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, pecan pie, apple pie… We want to make sure we have a slice of them ALL before autumn ends. While we’re all about eating dessert whenever we want, we recognize we should probably have dinner first. That’s where these 47 healthy fall recipes come in—they’re super seasonal, easy to make, and best of all, leave room for dessert.
Like with every season, we love to look to seasonal produce for recipe inspiration, and fall has some of the BEST options. Potatoes are great year-round, but when we’re looking for things to be a little healthier, sweet potatoes make a great compromise. Try our twice baked sweet potatoes or our sweet potato gnocchi to see what we mean—they hit that comfort food just as well as their potato-counterparts. Fresh Brussels sprouts start popping up in fall too, and we’re adding them to everything from salads to sides to chicken dinners. If you’ve always been on the fence about them, this year’s the time to change that, and recipes like our harvest bowls or our Brussels sprout salad can help. Ditto beets. We know a ton of people who are intimidated by their earthy taste, but we love how they pair with tangy cheese in our roasted beet goat cheese salad, or how well they stand in for meat in our vegetarian beet Reubens. Squashes like pumpkin and butternut are also great additions to many of the recipes you’ve already got in your rotation. They not only add flavor, but also bulk out traditionally carb-heavy dishes so you’ll feel more satisfied by them. Check out our pumpkin lasagna and butternut squash mac & cheese for ideas–we bet you’ll start adding more fall produce to all your faves.
Want more fall recipe inspiration? Check out our favorite fall appetizers, fall dinners, and fall desserts too.
Harvest Chicken Casserole
This satisfying casserole has ALL of your fall favorites—Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cranberries... Make it for a big crowd, or pack it up and eat the leftovers for lunch. It's a meal prep DREAM.
Get the Harvest Chicken Casserole recipe.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Dreaming of a big bowl of your favorite creamy pasta with less fat and more protein but with all of the flavor and texture you’re looking for in a good Alfredo? We've got you! Add meat, à la classic chicken Alfredo, or keep it simple—it's guaranteed to impress no matter what.
Get the Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe.
Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken
These baked chicken leg quarters are glazed with mustard, maple syrup, and herbs and then roasted on top of potatoes and carrots for an award-winning healthy fall dinner.
Get the Maple Mustard Glazed Chicken recipe.
Sweet Potato Salad
We love this salad warm, straight from the oven, but it's also very good at room temperature a few days later. 😍 You can bulk it up with leafy greens like baby spinach, put it in a burrito, or even top it with a fried egg for breakfast.
Get the Sweet Potato Salad recipe.
Farro Salad
With pecans, Parmesan, apple, and leafy arugula, this salad really feels like a full meal—AKA a make-ahead dream. It's got all the elements you need: sweet, salty, soft, crunchy, fatty, fresh, but free to make it your own with your preferred mix-ins.
Get the Farro Salad recipe.
Harvest Bowls
When the weather starts to cool, this grain bowl should be a regular in your rotation. With sliced grilled chicken, roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, a kale and Parmesan salad, all on top of brown rice, it's filling and healthy without being boring.
Get the Harvest Bowls recipe.
Sesame Tofu & Broccoli
In this vegetarian version of a Chinese-American favorite, oven-baked tofu gets tossed in a savory, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce along with crisp-tender broccoli, then topped with toasty sesame seeds and scallions. Mmm.
Get the Sesame Tofu & Broccoli recipe.
Sticky Sesame Chickpeas & Broccoli
Looking for a cheap, easy dinner that takes under 30 minutes to cook? Sticky sesame chickpeas and broccoli are calling your name. Starring an absurdly delicious glaze made from staple condiments and a few humble cans from the pantry, this simple one-pan dinner will make even a Wednesday night feel special.
Pumpkin Lasagna
At first, pumpkin lasagna might not seem as sexy as, say, spinach artichoke lasagna, but don't be fooled: With layers of melty fontina and mozzarella and notes of sage and nutmeg, you'll be wanting seconds of this veggie-filled lasagna.
Get the Pumpkin Lasagna recipe.
Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Salad
Making this salad might seem intimidating, but it doesn't actually require much prep. Tossed with a combo of toasted almonds, shaved Parmesan, and pomegranate seeds, Brussels make a great side for any fall get-together.
Butternut Squash Steaks
Tired of cauliflower steaks? You should turn to butternut squash! It's a great plant-based ingredient because its texture is quite meaty yet tender, and it works with a variety of seasonings and recipes. Have a TON of butternut? Make our butternut squash soup next.
Get the Butternut Squash Steaks recipe.
Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is the weeknight dinner that always satisfies—it’s nutrient-dense, flavorful, and perfectly filling. While it may not be known as the sexiest of soups, my recipe is anything but boring and ensures that this vegetable soup gets the attention it deserves.
Get the Lentil Soup recipe.
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Creamy, sweet, and conveniently orange, butternut squash adds extra body and richness to mac & cheese. A little thyme does some heavy lifting, making the homey comfort classic a little fancy, and bringing some fall flavors to the table that are *chef’s kiss*.
Get the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese recipe.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
The maple syrup and ricotta in these sweet potato gnocchi are both technically optional—if you do skip them, we definitely recommend going our bacon fat, butter, maple syrup, and bourbon sauce route (😋), but feel free to pair with your favorite sauce too.
Get the Sweet Potato Gnocchi recipe.
BBQ Pulled Mushrooms
Chewy, sticky, and satisfyingly meaty without any of the meat, this recipe is so meaty we believe it could convince even the biggest of mushroom haters that these veggie heroes aren't so bad after all. Plus, they're fab for vegan BBQ or tailgate guests.
Get the BBQ Pulled Mushrooms recipe.
Indian Butter Chickpeas
Looking for your new favorite way to dress up canned chickpeas? You’re in the right place. Simmered in an aromatic tomato gravy, this vegetarian spin on classic butter chicken will forever change the way you look at a can of beans.
Get the Indian Butter Chickpeas recipe.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
All our favorite fall flavors come together in this surprisingly easy and super flavorful stuffed acorn squash. The kale adds a heartiness that only a good cruciferous green can provide, and it pairs perfectly with the tender, sweet flesh of the squash. Yum!
Get the Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe.
Spicy Turkey Sausage & Kale Chili
While we love classic turkey chili, when we're looking to spice things up, we turn to this recipe. Spicy ground turkey, red bell peppers, cannellini beans, tomatoes, and kale all combine for a cozy soup that will warm you up all winter long.
BBQ Chicken Twice-Baked Potatoes
Missing summertime BBQ chicken? Stuff sweet potatoes with rotisserie chicken and your favorite BBQ sauce, then top them with Gouda for a healthy chicken dinner you can enjoy long into fall and beyond.
Butternut Squash Soup
What dish is the most indicative of leaves falling and the chilly autumn breeze? Some might say it's pumpkin pie, others might say warm apple cider, but to us, nothing fits better with October sweater weather than a delicious bowl of butternut squash soup.
Get the Butternut Squash Soup recipe.
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