Fall Cooking: Easy Recipes & Local Resources
By Molly Watson, About.com Guide
What's In Season In Fall?
First things first. Eating locally is eating seasonally. To eat seasonally you need to know what's in season.
Fall Fruits
The orchard fruits of fall add sweetness – and often a bit of crunch – to autumnal eating.
Fall Vegetables
Fall vegetables - from arugula to winter squash - tend to have deep, dark colors and flavor to match.
- Fennel
- Jerusalem artichokes/Sunchokes
- Leeks
- Parsnips
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins & Winter Squash
- Spinach
- Sweet Potatoes
- Turnips & Rutabagas
Warming Fall Soups
The crisp days of fall demand a dramatic increase in soup consumption (or is that just at my house?). Try these warming, seasonal soups to chase away that increasing chill in the air.
- 10 Warming Fall Soups
- Beet & Cabbage Borscht
- Brussels Sprout & Potato Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Soup With Rice
- Cider Onion Soup
- Cream of Green Chile Soup
- Creamy Turnip Soup
- Paprika Mushroom Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Red Lentil Soup
- Sweet Potato Carrot Soup
- Turnip Soup With Greens
- Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
Fall Salads
Fall salads are full of hearty root vegetables, crunchy bitter greens, and crisp salad greens.
- Gingery Celery & Red Onion Salad
- Persimmon Arugula Salad
- Red Cabbage Slaw
- Spicy Brussels Sprouts Salad With Almonds
Easy Main Dishes For Fall
These main dishes have a heartiness we all look for come fall, and pair well with fall fruits and vegetables as side dishes and salads.
- Baked Chile Rellenos
- Carne Adovada (Red Chile Pork Stew)
- Chickpea & Escarole Stew
- Chickpea Spinach Curry Stew
- Moroccan Vegetable Stew
- Mushroom Potato Enchiladas
- Mussels With Garlic & Chiles
- Roast Chicken With Arugula Bread Salad
- Roast Chicken
Simple Fall Vegetable Pastas
Pasta dishes are quick, nutritious, and one of the easiest ways to add plenty of seasonal vegetables to a meal. Try one of these endlessly flexible pasta dishes - switch out a cheese, use cauliflower instead of broccoli, add nuts and herbs as you like.
Yummy Fall Desserts
Fall fruits and vegetables can be used to make a wide range of homey crisps and pies and tarts and cakes.
More Seasonal Cooking
Is it not quite fall where you are? Is autumn long passed? Find seasonal cooking for anytime of year.