Growing Homes for Growing Kids

40+ Easy Fall Dinners for When You Don’t Want to Cook

Kelli FosterCulinary Producer

published Nov 2, 2023

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Fall Panzanella with Crispy leeks on white platter. Ble and white graphic background — Credit: Photo: Paola + Murray; Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

I enjoy cooking, but there are plenty of weeknights I don’t feel like getting in the kitchen. When I’m running on fumes after a long day of work and caring for a toddler who’s always on the move, I’d rather cozy up with my Netflix queue. But we all have to eat, and takeout isn’t always affordable. Sound familiar?

Those nights, I lean into these easy dinner ideas. They deliver maximum satisfaction with minimal effort, so I can get my family fed and curl up under the blanket on the couch just a little quicker. If you also find yourself just not wanting to cook some nights, here are over 40 quick and easy fall dinner recipes to keep in your meal plan lineup.

Weeknight Soups

Yes, you can make a pot of soup in the middle of the week. Even when you really don’t feel like cooking. Bookmark these low-effort favorites because they lean hard on pantry ingredients and don’t take a lot of time to get on the table.

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Credit: Kayla Hoang

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of broccoli soup is velvety, savory, and so easy to bring together in a pot.

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Credit: Kelli Foster

This soup is easy as A-B-C, seriously. It's also packed with a medley of vibrant vegetables and tender pieces of alphabet pasta, all swimming in a tomato and herb-kissed broth.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

20-Minute Pumpkin Soup

The easiest (and tastiest) pumpkin soup, thanks to a can of pumpkin and your spice drawer.

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Credit: Ghazalle Badiozamani

Easy Cabbage & White Bean Soup

This cabbage soup will make you think again about cabbage soup. It takes the traditional kitchen sink elixir and takes it up a notch with an assist from tomato paste, a thorough sauté of vegetables, and creamy white beans.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Pearl Jones/Kitchn

Tomato Soup with Gnocchi and Spinach

A bag of frozen filled gnocchi and fresh baby spinach from Trader Joe's is all you need to turn a box of creamy tomato soup into classy comfort food.

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Credit: Guy Ambrosino

Fried Water (Onion Egg Drop Soup)

With just water, olive oil, onions, and eggs, this soup is what to make when the pantry feels bare.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

5-Ingredient Baked Potato Soup

Spoiler: No baked potatoes are required for this soup. Just one freezer shortcut will get you from done to devoured in less than 30 minutes!

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Credit: Christine Han

Gingery Poached Egg Soup

This Asian-inspired quick-cooking soup has poached eggs and greens in a ginger-garlic broth.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

You only need a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients to make this hearty vegan soup.

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Credit: Shelly Westerhausen

Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheesy Crouton Topper

This oven-roasted tomato soup is topped with homemade croutons and cheese, then broiled until the bread is extra crispy and the cheese is melted.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

Browned sausage, tender sweet potatoes, just-wilted kale, and Italian herbs infuse store-bought broth in this hearty Whole30 soup.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Easy One-Pot Chicken Taco Soup

Loaded with juicy chicken, hearty black beans, and sweet corn, this quick soup was made with weeknight dinners in mind.

Quick and Easy Pantry Dinners

You know that pack of tortillas you forgot about in the back of the fridge or the lentils and broth in the pantry? They can be the start of some truly easy meals.

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Credit: Dan de Jesus

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

This recipe for soft tacos filled with black beans and sweet potatoes can be made vegan without the cheese.

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Credit: Kelli Foster

Feta Stuffed Lamb Meatballs

Packed with fresh herbs, spices, and a cube of feta cheese in the center, these oven-baked meatballs are exceptionally flavorful and easy enough to make on a weeknight.

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Credit: Kelli Foster

Braised Cauliflower and White Bean Piccata

A bright vegetable-forward piccata that’s punchy with flavor and inexpensive to pull together.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

Chickpea and Cheddar Quesadillas

To make these quesadillas desk-lunch-friendly, we ditched the wedge cut for a technique that keeps the chickpeas and cheese nestled in a closed tortilla.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Pearl Jones/Kitchn

Warm Sesame Brussels Sprouts and Lentil Salad

Thin shavings of Brussels sprouts and nutty lentils are tossed in a creamy sesame dressing for an easy, no-wilt lunch.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

5-Ingredient Enchilada Casserole

Easy weeknight enchiladas are within reach, thanks to a grocery store shortcut.

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Credit: Photo: Kristin Teig; Food Styling: Catrine Kelty

Brothy Tuscan White Beans with Garlic-Fried Bread

White beans, garlic, and fresh sage are stewed in a light tomato broth and served over thick toast in this wholesome and comforting pantry recipe.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Chicken and Soba Noodle Salad with Red Curry-Almond Dressing

This cold soba salad is tossed in a lively and nutty two-ingredient dressing.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Sheet Pan Quesadillas

Use a sheet pan and a few store-bought shortcuts to make a large format quesadillas to feed your whole family.

Fast and Fancy Pastas

When you’re feeling your laziest, reaching for a box of pasta and jar of sauce feels like the easiest option, right? But if you’re looking for something with just a little more flavor, these are our easiest upgrades.

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Credit: Kelli Foster

Looking for a meaty yet nourishing weeknight pasta? This satisfying 35-minute meal checks off those boxes and more. Not only does it sizzle with Italian sausage, but it’s also filled with over half a clamshell of baby spinach and a sauce made of garlicky crushed tomatoes.

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Credit: Shelly Westerhausen

Creamy One-Pot Butternut Squash Pasta with White Beans and Kale

This 30-minute vegetarian dinner is packed with protein, thanks to a can of white beans a dollop of Greek yogurt. It cooks all in one pot (sauce and all!), making for easy clean-up.

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Credit: Amelia Rampe

Consider this your family's new favorite flavor-packed, pantry-friendly pasta dinner.

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Credit: Yossy Arefi

Lemony Brussels Sprouts Pasta

This flavor-packed Brussels sprouts pasta cooks in less than 20 minutes and is made with only a handful of ingredients.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman | Food Stylist: Cyd McDowell

Creamy Wild Mushroom Instant Pot Pasta

This vegetarian pasta, made rich with herby cream cheese, is the perfect vegetarian dinner for fall.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Creamy Spinach Parmesan Orzo

A recipe for quick and easy creamy orzo pasta made with spinach and Parmesan cheese. It's a perfect vegetarian dinner or simple side side.

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Credit: Christine Han; Food Styling: Pearl Jones

Easy, Creamy Beef and Shells

If you grew up loving Hamburger Helper, you're going to love this quick and easy from-scratch version of cheesy beef and shells.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Brown Butter Parmesan Pasta

Toss warm strands of spaghetti with brown butter, panko, and a sprinkle of Parm and you've got an ultra-comforting meal that comes together in minutes.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

One-Pot Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta

In this 20-minute vegetarian dinner, vibrant pesto and creamy mascarpone cheese combine to create a silky sauce that clings to the noodles.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

Gnocchi with Spinach, Bacon, and Blue Cheese

With a package of gnocchi, some bacon, blue cheese, and a handful of spinach, this is the recipe that hits the table in less than 30 minutes.

Sheet Pan Dinners

These family-friendly favorite don’t require much more than tossing everything on your trusty sheet pan.

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Credit: Photo: Paola + Murray; Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Fall Panzanella with Crispy Leeks

This hearty, crisp-weather riff on traditional panzanella leans into the very best of fall produce.

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Credit: Photo: Kristin Teig; Food & Prop Styling: Catrine Kelty

Sheet Pan Pistachio-Crusted Cod with Fall Vegetables

Cod fillets are topped with Dijon and buttery pistachios in this easy, vegetable-packed sheet pan dinner.

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Credit: Photo: Ghazalle Badiozamani; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

Sheet Pan Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

Sheet pan-sizzled steak, sliced onion, peppers, and mushrooms are topped with two cheeses and stuffed into soft sandwich rolls.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

Sheet Pan Roasted Sausages and Grapes

Sweet meets savory in this fast and fancy sheet pan dinner that's perfect for fall. Serve it alongside crusty bread to soak up all the caramelized pan juices.

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Credit: Patricia Niven

Sheet Pan Mozzarella-Topped Chicken Cutlets

Here, chicken breasts are sliced into cutlets — à la chicken parmesan — then cooked on one sheet pan alongside creamy white beans, silky red onions, juicy tomatoes, and garlic. That's a wrap on dinner!

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

Tuscan Sheet Pan Gnocchi

This easy 3-ingredient sheet pan dinner features crispy potato gnocchi, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and wilted baby spinach.

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Credit: Meghan Splawn

Saucy Sheet Pan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Peppers

This big-batch sheet pan dinner has it all: saucy chicken, caramelized vegetables, and a pantry-friendly sauce everyone will love. Plus, it makes intentional leftovers for rolling over into another weeknight meal.

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Credit: Guy Ambrosino

Sheet Pan Roasted Okra, Black-Eyed Peas, and Tomatoes

This glorious vegetarian meal, cooked on one sheet pan, is packed with caramelized okra, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and Lowcountry-inspired spices.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Brett Regot/Kitchn

Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Sausage, and Butternut Squash

This fall-inspired recipe for crispy sheet pan gnocchi comes together in no more than 30 minutes.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

Sheet Pan Honey-Dijon Chicken and Vegetables

This weeknight-friendly sheet pan dinner features tender chicken, broccoli, potatoes, and red onion, tossed in a sweet and savory honey-Dijon glaze.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Sheet Pan Sloppy Joe Meatball Subs

This easy 4-ingredient recipe that makes both a sandwich and a vegetable with one single sheet pan.

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Credit: Lauren Volo

Sheet Pan Mustard Maple Salmon

This mustard-glazed salmon, crispy potatoes, and asparagus is sweet, savory, and wholesome.

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: 40+ Easy Fall Dinners for When You Don’t Want to Cook

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