Fall Recipes - Cooking Light

Photo: Johnny Autry & Randy Mayor

Healthy Fall Recipes

It's time to settle in with warm and comforting recipes that are bursting with the fresh flavors we all love this time of year. Sweet potatoes, apples, sage, cinnamon, and cider–there's somthing here to satisfy all of your autumnal cravings.

First, this rustic fall meal will soon become a family favorite. Round out the plate with Haricots Verts and Mustard Vinaigrette.

View Recipe: Pork Chops with Roasted Apples and Onions

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Sautéed Carrots with Sage

You can easily double, triple, or quadruple this small-yield recipe to feed more hungry diners. A few simple fall ingredients turn carrots into a star side dish.

View Recipe: Sautéed Carrots with Sage

Photo: Johnny Autry

Cider and Sage Pork

The classic ingredient combination of cider and sage allow the delicious flavor of the pork to shine through. Serve with steamed green beans.

View Recipe: Cider and Sage Pork

Photo: John Autry

Savory Baked Apples

These apples are stuffed with fall flavor that we know you will love. Savory, and a little sweet, this combintation is bound to be a family favorite.

View Recipe: Savory Baked Apples

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Beef Filets with Mushroom Sauce and Parmesan Popovers

The hearty and earthy mushroom sauce tastes divine atop the filets. Parmesan popovers make for a satisfying accompaniment.

View Recipe: Beef Filets with Mushroom Sauce and Parmesan Popovers

Photo: Gentl & Hyers

Squash-Apple Turnovers

Jonagold apples bring some tartness to the lightly sweet squash-based filling. You can also use other good baking apples like Honeycrisp or Rome. Serve as a side dish or appetizer.

View Recipe: Squash-Apple Turnovers

Photo: Johnny Autry

Bacon and Butternut Pasta

Broth, thickened with flour and enriched with crème fraîche, forms the savory sauce in this dish. We like the addition of earthy, hearty kale which helps balance the sweetness from the squash.

View Recipe: Bacon and Butternut Pasta

Photo: John Kernick

Ciabatta French Toast with Warm Apple Maple Syrup

Moist yet crusty bread and nutty Gruyère cheese set this French toast recipe apart from more traditional varieties. A vegetable peeler works great for getting thin slices out of the cheese. For the apples, Rome or Fuji varieties would also work.

View Recipe: Ciabatta French Toast with Warm Apple Maple Syrup

Photo: Johnny Autry

Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade

The scent of fall will overtake your kitchen while this pork roulade bakes in the oven. It looks a little fancy but, trust us, it's much easier than it looks.

View Recipe: Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

Warm Spiced Cran-Pom Toddies

To make this a nonalcoholic fall treat, simply omit the rum; to make it sweeter, replace the rum with apple juice.

View Recipe: Warm Spiced Cran-Pom Toddies

Photo: John Autry

Apple, Goat Cheese, and Pecan Pizza

Pungent goat cheese, peppery arugula, and slightly sweet apples transform this token finger food into a gourmet autumn dinner.

View Recipe: Apple, Goat Cheese, and Pecan Pizza

Photo: Johnny Autry

Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce

A zesty mustard sauce dresses chicken breasts and sautéed Brussels sprouts. Paired with Rosemary Potatoes, Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce will be one of your go-to meals for busy fall weeknights.

View Recipe: Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce

Photo: Mary Britton Senseney/Wonderful Machine

Butter-Pecan Mashed Sweet Potatoes

We have 4 speedy sweet potato sides to complete your fall meals. Start with our Butter-Pecan Mashed Sweet Potatoes, then try one of these variations: Maple Bacon, Chipotle-Lime, or Parmesan-Sage.

View Recipe: Butter-Pecan Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Photo: John Autry

French Onion and Apple Soup

Apples are a tasty welcomed addition to this traditional comforting classic of stringy melted Swiss, sweet onions, and sourdough bread.

View Recipe: French Onion and Apple Soup

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

We took the best part of the classic fall pie and stuck it in a glass for a perfectly-portioned treat. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and chopped walnuts.

View Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Photo: John Autry

Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower

This is fall comfort food at its finest. An interesting array of ingredients come together in a magnificent way under a baked topping of crispy bread and pecorino Romano cheese.

View Recipe: Baked Italian-Style Cauliflower

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Apple Kuchen

The sweet flavors of fall are found in this dessert. Sweet fuji apples flavored with the fruit's classic spice of choice, cinnnamon, will make for a pleasing after-dinner treat.

View Recipe: Apple Kuchen

Photo: Charles Masters

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots

When did the lowly sprout become a side dish superstar? This was a happy turn of events: It's a flavor-packed veggie that is both meaty and pleasingly bitter when sautéed or roasted, perfect for pairing with smoky bacon in this fall favorite recipe.

View Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots

Photo: John Autry

Fall Vegetable Curry

Embrace Indian flavors by making this vegetarian meal that only takes 30 minutes from start to finish. Serve with Cashew Basmati Rice for a complete fall meal.

View Recipe: Fall Vegetable Curry

Photo: John Autry & Randy Mayor

Poached Pears

With minimal effort, you can have a delicious and festive fall dessert on the table that is dressed to impress with a dollop of creamy yogurt. Spoon a bit of the cooking liquid over the pear for a tasty finishing touch.

View Recipe: Poached Pears

Photo: Dana Gallagher

Potato-Apple Latkes

These sweet-savory pancakes get irresistibly crisp from pan-frying. Keep cooked latkes warm in a 200° oven as you prepare the next batch. Serve with a dollop of fat-free sour cream if you want a tangy adornment.

View Recipes: Potato-Apple Latkes

Photo: Coral Von Zumwalt

Honey-Baked Black Mission Figs with Orange and Ginger

Fresh fall figs should be available this time of year but, if you can't find them, try the dessert with dried figs: Place 24 small stemmed, halved dried figs in a large saucepan with 3/4 cup fresh orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla; bring to a simmer. Simmer 3 minutes; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes.

View Recipe: Honey-Baked Black Mission Figs with Orange and Ginger

Photo: Ditte Isager

Beef and Butternut Chili

Squash and carrots add orange accents and a buttery flavor boost to this hearty dish. Make a big batch and freeze a few servings for a chilly night.

View Recipe: Beef and Butternut Chili

Photo: Randy Mayor

Bucatini with Mushrooms

A large assortment of mushrooms, including luxurious dried porcinis, is the key to the huge earthy fall flavor of this dish. It's meatless, but you'd never know it with all the savory flavor of mushrooms, Parmesan, and truffle oil. A generous splash of cream gives the sauce its luscious texture.

View Recipe: Bucatini with Mushrooms