Food and Recipes Dinner 61 Comforting Dinners To Make This Fall By Southern Living Editors Updated on August 5, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Hands down, Southern food is the most comforting cuisine in the world, and in our opinion, the best. We love our signature comfort foods more than we can explain to any non-Southerners—but if you're from down here, you just know. We aren't afraid to use butter, cream, or mayo to bring a meal together in a heartbeat, and autumn is the perfect time to make some of our favorite comfort foods for the whole family. In these seasonal recipes, we're making use of some of the season's best produce, from squash and sweet potatoes to hearty, leafy greens. We've got skillet dinners, like our Beefy Butternut Squash Pasta or Potato-Bacon Hash, and sheet pan suppers (our Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans is a family favorite). From casserole bakes to hardy soups and stews, and slow-cooked suppers, these comforting fall dinner recipes are sure to leave your crowd full, happy, and feeling cozy throughout the season. These are our best fall meals for a reason. 01 of 61 Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage This quick dinner is full of colorful sweet baby bell peppers, hot Italian sausage, and orecchiette pasta. Best yet, it only takes 30 minutes, which is perfect for an easy weeknight fix. 02 of 61 Double-Crust Chicken Pot Pies Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Double-Crust Chicken Pot Pies Something about chicken pot pie just feels cozy and right during the fall. The perfect pot pie is flaky on top, steaming inside, and 100% delicious. 03 of 61 Eggplant Rollups Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Eggplant Rollups Skip the carb-heavy pasta for fresh and hearty eggplant. These tasty little bundles are filled with herbed ricotta and topped with marinara. 04 of 61 Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Cheesy Broccoli-and-Rice Casserole Using fresh ingredients is the trick to taking this dish to the next level and only sacrificing a little bit of time. With crispy panko that gives it a yummy crunch, this fresh casserole will be well worth the extra minutes. 05 of 61 Cabbage, Mushroom, and Bacon Pasta Greg DuPree Recipe: Cabbage, Mushroom, and Bacon Pasta Reserving pasta water for when you fold all of the ingredients together helps create a smooth, creamy sauce. That extra touch of starch from the water is exactly what this delectable pasta dish needs to set it over the edge. 06 of 61 Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes This recipe makes an easy weeknight dinner and weekend crowd-pleaser. Roasted chicken and potatoes are always a no-brainer and this citrus-herb recipe is no exception. 07 of 61 Spaghetti Casserole Jennifer Davick Recipe: Spaghetti Casserole This slow-cooker version of traditional spaghetti casserole is a fall weeknight favorite. You won't be stuck in the kitchen all afternoon, which is always a plus. 08 of 61 Emily's Red Beans and Rice Peter Frank Edwards Recipe: Emily's Red Beans and Rice This dish is perfect for a big family-style meal and only gets better as the flavors meld together over time. Spicy, tender beans served over well-fluffed white rice is a down South classic we can't get enough of. 09 of 61 Sweet Potato Soup Greg DuPree Recipes: Sweet Potato Soup This warm fall soup is packed with flavor from sweet potatoes, buttery Yukon Gold potatoes, healthy carrots, and warm spices. Top with toasted pecans for even more autumnal flare and some crunch. 10 of 61 BBQ Rub Roasted Chickens with Potatoes and Carrots Greg DuPree Recipe: BBQ Rub Roasted Chickens with Potatoes and Carrots Roasted carrots and potatoes are always a warm fall staple. We love them in this BBQ chicken dish that makes great leftovers. 11 of 61 Soulful Chicken Soup Iain Bagwell Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup Something about old-fashioned chicken soup with egg noodles screams comfort for us, and not just on sick or rainy days! Let your slow cooker do the hard work and rejoice in feel-good soup for supper. 12 of 61 Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder This isn't a boring chowder by any means, with bacon, potatoes, and onions that add so much flavor and varying texture. Don't over-process the chowder to a point that it's too thin or overly smooth. 13 of 61 Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya This signature Creole dish is hearty and gives just a little heat. Overall, this recipe is a great combination of flavorful ingredients, but it can be changed and tweaked easily according to what you like! 14 of 61 Roasted Spatchcock Chicken Alison Miksch Recipe: Roasted Spatchcock Chicken The golden-brown color on this crispy chicken skin may just rival the beauty of those golden fall leaves. With baby potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts all roasting in the same pan as this centerpiece-worthy chicken, you've got an entire dinner prepared in just over an hour. 15 of 61 Greek Baked Ziti Greg Dupree Recipe: Greek Baked Ziti There's nothing better than a hearty pasta dish, and this bake is packed full with ground beef, two cheeses, and warm seasoning. Plus, it freezes beautifully so when made ahead of time, weeknight pasta dinner can come together in a flash. 16 of 61 Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Apples Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Apples Sweet potatoes and apples are two of our favorite fall staples. They come together beautifully to complement this simple roast chicken. Choose the size of your bird accordingly to the number of mouths you plan to feed. 17 of 61 Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta Greg Dupree Recipe: Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta Pappardelle's thick ribbon shape is ideal to catch and absorb the rich flavors of fall-favorite Bolognese sauce. Top with shredded parmesan and basil leaves for a pop of saltiness and freshness. 18 of 61 Shepherd's Pie with Potato Crust Greg Dupree Recipe: Shepherd's Pie with Potato Crust The classic shepherd's pie gets a major upgrade with this stunning scalloped potato crust. Alternating between sweet potato and Yukon gold potatoes gives this pie an appealing visual effect that's fit for any fall occasion. 19 of 61 Greek Pork Chops with Squash and Potatoes Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Greek Pork Chops with Squash and Potatoes Catch the tail end of the zucchini harvest and make these pork chops with roasted squash and potatoes. This colorful square meal in a sheet pan is guaranteed to please. 20 of 61 Southwest Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl Greg Dupree Recipe: Southwest Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl This quick and easy rice bowl is endlessly customizable. Top with Southwest chicken or swap out proteins to make a steak-and-rice bowl, or even try making Southwest-seasoned tofu for a vegetarian twist. 21 of 61 Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Recipe: Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs These fresh kebabs provide the perfect excuse to fire up the grill this fall. Sausage adds a hearty meat component to complement the light shrimp and crunchy okra. 22 of 61 Quick Beef Chili Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Quick Beef Chili On those chilly autumn days, a steaming pot of chili will warm your bones in no time. Enjoy by the fire and top with shredded cheese and a spoonful of sour cream for added creaminess. We also love using this beef chili to top baked potatoes. 23 of 61 Honey-Soy-Glazed Salmon with Veggies and Oranges Alison Miksch Recipe: Honey-Soy-Glazed Salmon with Veggies and Oranges Salmon isn't just for the summertime. Salty from the soy sauce and sweet from the honey, this salmon is beautifully broiled and a great option for a lighter main with lots of flavor. 24 of 61 Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon Lentils are high in fiber, inexpensive, and super nutritious, making them a staple in our fall diets. This easy fall soup pairs lentils with indulgent sweet potatoes and bacon for a well-rounded dish. 25 of 61 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms That golden-brown puff pastry crust is enough to make us swoon. With a creamy chicken filling complete with all the classic pot pie vegetables, you can't go wrong with this take on a classic. 26 of 61 Mushroom Stroganoff Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Mushroom Stroganoff These wide egg noodles swimming in creamy mushroom sauce will transport you back to Grandma's kitchen. Though meatless, this recipe is supremely hearty thanks to savory, meaty cremini mushrooms and smoked paprika. 27 of 61 Chicken-Mushroom-Sage Casserole Iain Bagwell Recipe: Chicken-Mushroom-Sage Casserole With mushrooms, sage, and toasted almonds, this stunning casserole utilizes our favorite warm fall ingredients and herbs to complement simple chicken breasts. It'll be hard to resist, but let this dish stand for a few minutes so the long-grain rice can soak in deep, herbaceous flavors. 28 of 61 Beef Stew with Buttery Garlic Bread Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Beef Stew with Buttery Garlic Bread Nothing says fall like a hearty beef stew. Serve this cozy dish at your dinner table or pack it to-go in thermoses. Just don't forget the crispy garlic bread for dipping! 29 of 61 One-Pan Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, and Collards Greg DuPree Recipe: One-Pan Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, and Collards Chicken sausage is our new favorite, lighter alternative to smoky pork sausage. Thrown in with savory mushrooms and greens, it's a welcome addition to autumnal pasta dinner. 30 of 61 Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Burgundy-Mushroom Sauce Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith Recipe: Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Burgundy-Mushroom Sauce This stunning roulade of beef is sure to impress your company this fall. Plate with fresh herbs and drizzle the burgundy-mushroom sauce over the beef to help maintain its moisture. 31 of 61 Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake Don't shy away from the greens. This Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake is a great way to incorporate some veggies into your kids' diets, using the pasta bake as the ever-versatile vehicle. 32 of 61 Pecan Soup Iain Bagwell Recipe: Pecan Soup Most southerners have mastered the tried-and-true pecan pie, but have you ever tried using those crunchy pecans in a smooth fall soup? This velvety supper is autumnal comfort in a bowl. 33 of 61 Potato-Bacon Hash Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Potato-Bacon Hash Breakfast for dinner just got a major upgrade. Top this Potato-Bacon Hash with a few fried eggs for an easy, budget-friendly way to feed the whole family. 34 of 61 Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole Who said you need a hearty cut of chicken or beef to make a stunning main dish? This casserole is packed full of roasted fall veggies and, with the addition of crispy bacon, it can stand alone on the dinner table. 35 of 61 Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast We took the Pinterest-famous Mississippi Roast and sped it up with the help of our Instant Pot. Ranch seasoning is our trick to the tastiest meat over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes. 36 of 61 Beefy Butternut Squash Pasta Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Beefy Butternut Squash Pasta We gave a quick ground beef pasta a fall tweak with the addition of fresh butternut squash. This dish is so good, you'll want it two nights in a row. Reheat leftovers in a skillet with a touch of chicken broth. 37 of 61 Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans We try to use sweet potatoes any way we can during fall, and this simple sheet pan supper is an easy way to do so. Follow our tips for crisp, breaded chops to to avoid soggy pork. 38 of 61 Green Chile-Chicken Stew Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Green Chile-Chicken Soup One of the best things about this comforting fall soup is that it freezes beautifully. This make-ahead superstar has oodles of flavor thanks to green enchilada sauce and a poblano chile. 39 of 61 Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese The kids will have no idea this gooey macaroni and cheese has a good-for-them ingredient in it. Adults with experienced palates will taste the delicious difference made by sweet, seasonal squash. 40 of 61 Cheeseburger Casserole Photography: Alison Miksch, Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland, Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Cheeseburger Casserole Even though fall temperatures might prevent you from firing up the grill, you can still have the same delicious cheeseburger taste your family loves with an easy one-dish casserole. This homey recipe will satisfy burger cravings and save you a trip to the fast food drive-thru. 41 of 61 Baked Chicken Thighs with Dressing Recipe: Baked Chicken Thighs with Dressing Apples and fall vegetables meet with juicy chicken thighs and crusty chunks of cornbread with this weeknight version of dressing. Carefully cut your apples and vegetables so that they all cook to perfection in one shot—that's the beauty of a sheet pan recipe. 42 of 61 Beef Stroganoff Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Beef Stroganoff Beef stroganoff is the ultimate comfort food supper that will cure even the most terrible, no-good, very bad day. Whip up this supper on a gray day to clear the poor weather haze. 43 of 61 Meatloaf Casserole Micah A. Leal Recipe: Meatloaf Casserole This Southern-ized version of Shepherd's Pie will quickly become a family favorite for Sunday dinner. Filling meat and creamy mashed potato topping is something to be savored after a long day. 44 of 61 Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup This bright, cozy soup recipe is just what the doctor ordered for fall. Classic lemon-chicken soup flavors are boosted by seasonal bounty including sweet potato. 45 of 61 Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Marinate your pork in chicken broth, orange juice, and garlic, then leave dinner to the slow cooker for tender, flavorful carnitas tacos. Don't forget a pitcher of homemade margaritas! 46 of 61 Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Vegetables Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Oven Baked Chicken Thighs and Vegetables Fresh fall produce like Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes star in this delectable chicken dinner that comes together in your cast-iron skillet. We love to serve this dish with warm, crusty bread to sop up the savory juices in the pan. 47 of 61 White Lightning Chicken Chili Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Becky Hargett Recipe: White Lightning Chicken Chili This dish earns its name not only because its lighter than classic chili with beef or pork, but also because it comes together almost as fast as lightning. Unlike many chilis that need to steep for hours, this recipe comes together in just 30 minutes total. 48 of 61 Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole Greg DuPree Recipe: Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole It might be hard to believe that a dish this rich and decadent comes together in under an hour, but this recipe is the proof in the pudding. This creamy, hardy meal will satisfy on a chilly night, quick and easy enough for a long day. 49 of 61 Southwest Pork Stew Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Recipe: Southwest Pork Stew Choose your adventure for this mouth-watering stew: You can prepare your own meat r skip the hassle and use grocery store-bought, deli-roasted chicken or shredded pork from your favorite barbecue joint. Combined with warm broth and zesty Tex-Mex flavors, you can't go wrong. 50 of 61 Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo Recipe: Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo Classic gumbo will always be a cool-weather hit. This hearty version with rotisserie chicken and andouille sausage delivers knock-out spoonfuls of warming, Cajun stew. 51 of 61 Green Chile Pork Stew Recipe: Green Chile Pork Stew Stir together this spiced stew for a weeknight dinner and freeze leftovers for when you need a cozy meal in the future. It freezes beautifully so that green chile and pork can warm you up twice. 52 of 61 Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice Greg DuPree Recipe: Greek Meatballs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Rice Meatballs and rice are comforting as can be and extra tasty accompanied by tangy cucumber-yogurt sauce. It's hearty, filling, and quick to come together—all of our favorite things for a weeknight meal. 53 of 61 Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe: Chunky Vegetable Beef Soup This hardy soup is the remedy for a chilly day. Cook it slowly so that the vegetables and meat become tender and flush with warming flavors. 54 of 61 Chicken and Dumplings Recipe: Chicken and Dumplings If you look up "comforting" in the dictionary, you'll probably find a photo of a heading portion of classic Southern Chicken and Dumplings. This down home dish is as easy and cozy as it gets. 55 of 61 Classic Roasted Duck with Orange-Bourbon-Molasses Glaze Photo: Alison Miksch Recipe: Classic Roasted Duck with Orange-Bourbon-Molasses Glaze The trick to preparing perfectly textured duck with crispy skin is keeping it dry. Take care to pat it down before baking it and slathering on sultry citrus-bourbon glaze. 56 of 61 Italian-Style Grits and Greens with Pulled Pork and Mushrooms Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Italian-Style Grits and Greens with Pulled Pork and Mushrooms Serve this homestyle meal family style by preparing a large bed of grits to ground savory meat and mushrooms. Each component of this dish, from the pulled pork, to the garlicky sautéed mushrooms, and the grits packed with herbs, is a delicious balancing act of comforting and elegant. 57 of 61 Sheet Pan Flank Steak, Greens, and Yukon Gold Fries Greg DuPree Recipe: Sheet Pan Flank Steak, Greens, and Yukon Gold Fries Before starting your day in the morning, set your flank steak up to marinate in olive oil, spices, and herbs. Closer to dinner time, this meat and potatoes recipe will come together in about an hour, bursting with all the deep flavor soaked into the steak. 58 of 61 Vidalia Onion Soup Southern Living Recipe: Vidalia Onion Soup French onion soup is a classic go-to for comforting fare, and this version using Southern produce only sweetens the deal. Vidalia onions from Georgia enhance the soup with sweet flavor, especially when caramelized. 59 of 61 Chicken-Mushroom Skillet Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Chicken-Mushroom Skillet This hardy skillet uses two types of mushrooms, oyster and cremini, for maximum indulgent, savory flavor. Our best tip: leave the mushrooms be. Avoid the temptation to stir them as they cook down. 60 of 61 One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Chicken thighs cooked perfectly golden brown are a win for both your wallet and the hungry mouths around the dinner table. With this one-pot recipe, dinner will be a hit and clean-up will be a breeze. 61 of 61 One-Pan Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Artichokes Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: One-Pan Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Artichokes As if learning that delicious dinner can be prepared in just one pan with minimal dirty dishes isn't comforting enough, this bold, Mediterranean-inspired dish has coziness to spare. Green olives, parsley, and thyme are a bright and briny trio brought to earth by hearty couscous to soak up herbaceous flavors. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit