Simple Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Root vegetables and beef take on deep savory flavor during slow cooking, giving this stew a hands off role in a cold weather dinner.
slow cooker stew
35 Easy Fall Food Recipes: Soups, Sides & Desserts
Curated by Julia BennettUpdated August 26, 2026
☰ Contents
Cool evenings call for bubbling soups, roasted vegetables, and desserts that smell like apples, cinnamon, and toasted pecans. This collection is for home cooks planning weeknight dinners, Sunday suppers, holiday sides, or a batch of fall desserts.
You'll find dishes with sweet potato, recipes using butternut squash, slow cooker meals, and one pot soups. Listen for the vegetables to hiss when they hit a hot pan; that browning is where the deeper flavor begins.
What Are Fall Food Recipes?
Fall food recipes lean on apples, pumpkin, sweet potato, butternut squash, cabbage, carrots, and warming spices. They may be roasted, baked, simmered, or left to cook slowly until the kitchen smells earthy and sweet.
Some are light vegetable sides; others are filling soups, casseroles, or desserts. If you roast produce until the edges turn brown, sugars concentrate and the finished dish tastes deeper than steamed vegetables.
How to Choose the Best Fall Food Recipes
Choose a slow cooker chili or stew when dinner can simmer while you work. Pick a 30 minute pasta or soup when the evening is short, and use casseroles or pot pie when you need a substantial dish for several people.
For a lighter plate, start with roasted cabbage, carrots, or sweet potatoes. If the scent of cinnamon and baked apples is what you want, turn to turnovers, pie, tart, or cake. A dry roasting pan gives vegetables browned edges; overcrowding makes them steam.
Slow Cooker Fall Dinner Recipes
Long, gentle cooking softens beef, chicken, pumpkin, and sweet potato while savory aromas fill the house. These meals suit busy days and larger tables, unlike the oven-roasted sides that need attention near serving time.
-
-
Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Chili with Thighs
Chicken, beans, and smoky seasoning simmer together in the crockpot, creating a generous chili for family bowls or casual autumn gatherings.
crockpot chicken chili -
Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix
Fork tender beef and gravy develop in the slow cooker, giving Sunday dinner a hands off centerpiece rather than a quick stovetop meal.
slow cooker roast -
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili with Ground Beef
Pumpkin puree thickens this slow cooker chili without flour, bringing a mild autumn note to a large pot designed for eight servings.
slow cooker pumpkin chili -
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili with Ground Beef
Beef and sweet potato simmer together for four hours, pairing a crockpot method with the dense, filling texture of a bean style chili.
beef sweet potato chili
Butternut Squash Soup Recipes
Roasting and simmering turn butternut squash into smooth soups with a golden color and a warm, nutty smell. The potage and soup recipes stay spoonable and comforting, while the other squash dishes use the same ingredient in pasta, rice, or baked formats.
-
Roasted Butternut Squash Potage
Roasting the squash first concentrates its sweetness before blending, producing a smooth potage suited to a quiet lunch or first course.
roasted squash soup -
Easy Butternut Squash Soup in 40 Minutes
Carrot and butternut squash simmer into a classic smooth soup, offering a straightforward stovetop route when roasting time is limited.
carrot squash soup -
Quick and Creamy Easy Pumpkin Soup
This pumpkin soup skips roasting and reaches the table in 32 minutes, making it the quicker option among the collection's blended soups.
32-minute pumpkin soup
Dishes with Sweet Potato
Sweet potato works in both savory and sweet directions, from chili and shepherd's pie to a maple casserole and roasted sides. Choose these when you want a soft center; high heat or a hot oven adds browned edges and keeps the surface from turning wet.
-
Healthy Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
Caramelized vegetables form the base of this roasted sweet potato soup, with a thicker spoonful than the collection's clear chicken soups.
sweet potato soup -
Hearty Sweet Potato Chili: Smoky and Thick
Fire roasted tomatoes and sweet potato make this vegetarian chili substantial without meat, adding a plant based option to the fall supper table.
vegetarian chili -
Healthy Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie with Ground Beef
Ground beef sits beneath a sweet potato topping, turning shepherd's pie into a complete baked meal with a seasonal twist on mashed potatoes.
sweet potato topping
Recipes Using Butternut Squash
Butternut squash can become a sauce, puree, gratin, risotto, or casserole once it softens. These recipes differ from the soup group through thicker spoonfuls, pasta coated sauce, and baked toppings; roast the squash first if you want its edges to take on color.
-
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta: Silky and Roasted
Roasted squash and garlic turn into a sauce for pasta, offering a meatless dinner with a smoother finish than chunky vegetable dishes.
roasted squash sauce -
Butternut Squash Risotto with Roasted Puree
Roasted squash puree folds into rice for a creamy Italian style risotto, bringing a slower stovetop project to the fall dinner table.
squash risotto -
Butternut Squash Gratin with Gruyere and Parmesan
Roasted squash and leeks bake beneath a gratin topping, giving this casserole a savory centerpiece role beside roast meats or grains.
squash and leek gratin
Roasted Fall Vegetable Side Dishes
A hot sheet pan gives cabbage, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and mixed vegetables charred corners and a firm bite. These sides are faster to serve than slow cooked mains and can share the oven with a roast, provided the pieces have room to brown.
-
Crispy Roasted Cabbage with Garlic
Cabbage wedges roast until the cut faces turn mahogany brown, giving this side a firmer bite than simmered or creamed vegetables.
roasted cabbage wedges -
Maple Glazed Carrots in 22 Minutes
Maple glaze coats carrots in just 22 minutes, preserving a snappy center instead of the long cooked texture found in stews.
22-minute carrot side -
Roasted Fall Vegetables with Baby Potatoes
Mixed harvest vegetables roast in a large batch until their edges char, making this an adaptable side for a crowded fall table.
harvest vegetable roast -
Crispy Parmesan Brussel Sprouts
A Parmesan cheese bed browns beneath Brussels sprouts, giving this 35 minute side a crisp savory crust instead of a sweet glaze.
Parmesan roasted sprouts
Fall Soups and One-Pot Meals
Chicken pozole, autumn chicken soup, and chili bring broth, beans, meat, or vegetables together in one pot. They are more savory and protein centered than the squash soups; add toppings at the table so each bowl keeps its contrast.
-
Chicken Pozole: Authentic Mexican Comfort
This one pot chicken pozole adds Mexican chile flavor and hominy to the fall soup rotation, unlike the puree based vegetable soups nearby.
one-pot pozole -
Award Winning Healthy Pumpkin Chili
Ground turkey joins pumpkin and chili spices in this savory autumn pot, providing a lighter feeling alternative to beef based slow cooker versions.
turkey pumpkin chili -
One-Pot Easy Autumn Chicken Soup
Chicken and vegetables simmer in one pot for a golden autumn soup, offering a simpler broth based meal beside the chili and pozole recipes.
one-pot chicken soup -
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta in 30 Minutes
Pumpkin sauce clings to pasta in 30 minutes, offering a fast meatless dinner when slow cooker chilis and baked casseroles take too long.
30-minute pumpkin pasta
Fall Desserts with Apples and Pumpkin
Apples, pumpkin, pecans, and spice create the familiar fragrance of fall baking. Turnovers and pie highlight fruit and pastry, while poke cake, Bundt cake, and pecan bars offer softer or denser slices for gatherings and packed dessert tables.
-
Old Fashioned Apple Turnovers
Thirty five minutes gets puff pastry around a jammy apple center, so these turnovers provide a smaller, hand held alternative to fall pie.
35-minute pastry -
Easy Apple Pie with Fresh Apples
Fresh apples bake inside a classic crust over 85 minutes, giving fall dessert menus a familiar slice for gatherings and family dinners.
fresh apple pie -
French Apple Tart with Maple Glaze
Buttery pastry and glazed apple slices give this French tart a composed finish, setting it apart from the more casual turnover and pie.
French apple tart -
Guilt-Free Pumpkin Poke Cake
Spice cake mix, pumpkin, and tangy yogurt frosting create a shareable sheet style dessert with a softer finish than pastry based apple sweets.
pumpkin poke cake -
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Bundt Cake
Sweet potato puree and brown sugar keep this Bundt cake moist and warmly spiced, giving dessert tables a centerpiece sized bake for twelve.
sweet potato Bundt
Comforting Fall Casseroles and Grains
Scalloped potatoes, bulgur pilaf, and butternut squash casserole bring baked or simmered grains and vegetables to the center of the table. Use them when a meal needs a dependable side or a vegetarian main rather than a brothy bowl.
-
Homemade Chicken Pot Pie: Creamy and Golden
A creamy chicken filling under puff pastry brings classic cool weather comfort to the table and differs from the collection's broth based meals.
puff pastry topping -
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe with Yukon Gold
Thin potatoes and melted cheese bake into a rich layered side sized for nine, making it a natural choice for a larger family meal.
cheesy potato layers -
Hearty Homemade Bulgur Pilaf
Tomato paste seasons this bulgur pilaf with a savory color and taste, creating a warm grain side for roast meats and vegetables.
tomato bulgur pilaf -
Failure-Proof Butternut Squash Casserole
A salty pecan crust covers the squash base in this vegetarian casserole, adding a baked topping that the collection's soups do not have.
pecan squash casserole
More Sweet Potato and Fall Sides
Smashed sweet potatoes and a roasted sweet potato bowl add different serving styles to the season's menu. One emphasizes crisp, flattened pieces; the other builds a complete bowl, so they work differently from casseroles and soup.
-
Crispy Smashed Sweet Potato Recipe
Flattened sweet potatoes expose more surface to the oven, producing browned ridges and soft interiors for a side with extra textural contrast.
smashed sweet potatoes -
High Protein Sweet Potato Bowl: Roasted
Roasted sweet potato anchors a customizable bowl with a more complete lunch format than the collection's stand alone vegetable sides.
roasted sweet potato bowl -
Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
over High heat roasting gives these sweet potatoes browned edges and soft centers, keeping the preparation firmly in the easy vegetable side category.
roasted sweet potato -
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
Maple, sweet potato, and pecans lean sweet rather than savory, giving holiday plates a casserole that sits between side dish and dessert.
pecan sweet potato
Storage and Food Safety Tips for Fall Food Recipes
Refrigerate cooked meat, dairy based dishes, soups, and casseroles in shallow containers once they stop steaming heavily. FDA guidance suggests two hours as the limit for perishable food at room temperature; use a shorter window in very warm conditions.
Keep leftovers cold and watch for sour odors, bubbling, mold, or a slimy surface. Reheat soups and saucy dishes until steaming throughout, stirring so the center warms as well as the edges.
Quick Comparison
| # | Recipes | Best For | Time | Difficulty | Method | Occasion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simple Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe - Winter Carrots & Potatoes | slow cooker family dinner | Time varies | simple | slow cooker | weeknight dinner |
| 2 | Slow Cooker Chicken Chili for 6 Servings | make-ahead chili | Time varies | easy | slow cooker | family gathering |
| 3 | Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast for 6 Servings | Sunday slow cooker roast | Time varies | easy | slow cooker | Sunday dinner |
| 4 | Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili for 8 Servings | large-batch pumpkin chili | Time varies | easy | slow cooker | autumn gathering |
| 5 | Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili with Beef | beef and sweet potato chili | 4 hr | easy | slow cooker | family dinner |
| 6 | Butternut Squash Potage for 4 Servings | smooth roasted squash soup | Time varies | Not provided | roasted | cozy lunch |
| 7 | Easy Butternut Squash Soup for 6 Servings | classic squash soup | Time varies | easy | stovetop | weeknight dinner |
| 8 | Easy Pumpkin Soup in 32 Minutes | fast pumpkin soup | 32 min | easy | stovetop | quick dinner |
| 9 | Roasted Sweet Potato Soup for 4 Servings | sweet potato soup | 61 min | Not provided | roasted | cozy dinner |
| 10 | Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili | meatless chili dinner | Time varies | Not provided | stovetop | meatless dinner |
| 11 | Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie for 6 Servings | sweet potato topped main | Time varies | Not provided | baked | family dinner |
| 12 | Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Roasted Garlic (Ready in 1 Hour) | squash pasta night | 1 hr | Not provided | roasted and sauced | fall dinner |
| 13 | Butternut Squash Risotto for 4 Servings | vegetarian squash main | Time varies | Not provided | stovetop | date-night dinner |
| 14 | Butternut Squash Gratin for 6 Servings | baked squash side | Time varies | Not provided | baked | holiday meal |
| 15 | Crispy Roasted Cabbage for 4 Servings | charred vegetable side | Time varies | easy | roasted | Sunday dinner |
| 16 | Maple Glazed Carrots for 4 Servings | fast glazed vegetable side | 22 min | easy | stovetop | weeknight side |
| 17 | Roasted Fall Vegetables for 8 Servings | large-batch roasted side | Time varies | simple | roasted | holiday meal |
| 18 | Crispy Parmesan Brussel Sprouts | cheese-crusted vegetable side | 35 min | Not provided | roasted | Sunday dinner |
| 19 | Chicken Pozole: One-Pot Mexican Soup | one-pot Mexican soup | 55 min | Not provided | one-pot | weekend dinner |
| 20 | Pumpkin Chili with Ground Turkey | ground turkey pumpkin chili | Time varies | Not provided | stovetop | autumn dinner |
| 21 | Easy Autumn Chicken Soup: One-Pot | simple one-pot chicken soup | Time varies | easy | one-pot | weeknight dinner |
| 22 | Creamy Pumpkin Pasta in 30 Minutes | 30-minute pumpkin pasta | 30 min | Not provided | stovetop | weeknight dinner |
| 23 | Apple Turnovers in 35 Minutes | quick apple dessert | 35 min | Not provided | puff pastry | fall dessert |
| 24 | Easy Apple Pie with Fresh Apples | classic apple dessert | 85 min | easy | baked | holiday dessert |
| 25 | French Apple Tart for 8 Servings | pastry-centered apple dessert | Time varies | Not provided | baked | dinner party |
| 26 | Pumpkin Poke Cake with Spice Cake Mix | easy pumpkin party cake | Time varies | Not provided | baked | fall dessert |
| 27 | Sweet Potato Bundt Cake for 12 Servings | large Bundt cake | 75 min | Not provided | baked | fall dessert |
| 28 | Chicken Pot Pie Recipe: Creamy | comfort-food family supper | 1 hr 35 min | easy | baked | family dinner |
| 29 | Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe for 9 | large-table potato side | Time varies | Not provided | baked | holiday meal |
| 30 | Bulgur Pilaf with Tomato Paste | grain side with roast meat | 40 min | easy | stovetop | family dinner |
| 31 | Butternut Squash Casserole for 6 Servings | vegetarian baked squash dish | 80 min | Not provided | baked | family gathering |
| 32 | Smashed Sweet Potato Recipe: Crispy | crisp-edged sweet potato side | Time varies | Not provided | oven roasted | weeknight side |
| 33 | Sweet Potato Bowl for 4 Servings: Roasted | customizable roasted bowl | Time varies | Not provided | roasted | meal prep lunch |
| 34 | Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes | roasted vegetable side | Time varies | easy | roasted | weeknight side |
| 35 | Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans | holiday sweet potato side | 55 min | Not provided | baked | holiday meal |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose between slow cooker and oven recipes?
Use a slow cooker when you want dinner to cook unattended over several hours. Choose the oven for browned edges, crisp toppings, and roasted vegetables that need direct heat.
What makes a good fall dinner?
A useful fall dinner balances a main dish with a roasted vegetable, grain, or potato side. Soups, chilis, pot pie, and casseroles also work well because they can be served hot from one pot or baking dish.
Can fall recipes be made ahead?
Many soups, chilis, casseroles, and baked desserts can be prepared partly or completely ahead. Store components separately when crisp toppings or pastry need to stay dry.
What is the difference between sweet potato and butternut squash recipes?
Sweet potatoes are dense and naturally sweet, so they hold up in chili, bowls, casseroles, and cakes. Butternut squash becomes smooth when cooked and is especially useful in soups, sauces, risotto, and gratins.
How do I stop roasted fall vegetables from becoming soggy?
Dry the cut vegetables, use a hot pan, and leave space around each piece. If the pan is crowded, moisture collects and the vegetables steam instead of developing browned edges.
Browse by Category
You may also like
Discover more curated recipe collections
Explore more recipe collections →