From sheet-pan dinners with roasted squash and sausages to stovetop dishes like chicken and sweet potato stew, these weeknight meals are just right for autumn.
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Have you noticed just how much we like one-pot recipes? After a long day, we love the simplicity and ease of preparing a meal that comes together in just one pot, skillet, or sheet pan. And while these streamlined meal options work well any time of the year, they seem even more apt in the autumn. As the nights draw in and everyone looks forward to a cozy dinner, our favorite one-pot recipes for fall help you get a warming, comforting meal on the table without creating a mountain of dishes in the process.
The options are many and all are delicious. Some, like the Chicken, Collard Greens, and Sweet Potato Stew that's pictured here, cook on the stovetop in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. Others, like our irresistible Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms with Egg Noodles, cook on the stovetop but in a large skillet. And then there are sheet-pan dinners, like Roasted Sausages with Cabbage and Squash, where the protein and the vegetables cook together on a rimmed (always rimmed, which ensures that nothing falls off!) baking sheet. Another reason to turn the oven on is for a one-pan recipe that cooks in a baking dish; our Roasted Salmon with Red Cabbage and Potatoes is the perfect example. And don't forget the Instant Pot or multicooker, which are two more simple ways cook dinner in one vessel. We have tasty recipes for both.
Whether it's cooked on the stovetop, in the oven, or in an Instant Pot, the main benefit of a one-pan dinner is that you're getting a filling and family-friendly meal on the table with less fuss. All the recipes in this collection take an hour or less to make, and while the recipes are less speedy than spring or summer options might be, you'll find that most of the time they require is hands off; the pan simmers gently on the stove or dinner roasts in the oven while you can tackle other tasks or sit back and relax. If that's not the best route to dinner, we don't know what is.
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Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms with Egg Noodles
Comforting and filling, this one-pot dinner is guaranteed to please the chef and the entire family. Yes, the egg noodles cook in the same pan as the rest of the meal, in a creamy sauce made with mustard, broth, and cream cheese.
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Roasted Sausages with Cabbage and Squash
Sheet-pan dinners seem so right for fall. As the nights turn cooler, we look forward to turning the oven on at dinnertime. This meal of roasted sweet Italian sausages with crunchy wedges of cabbage and slices of kabocha squash (feel free to sub another winter squash, such as acorn, if that's what you have or prefer) feels special but is easy to prep.
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Broccoli-and-Chickpea Parmesan
This hearty, delicious vegetarian dinner is comforting and easy to put together. It starts with canned chickpeas, jarred marinara sauce, and sliced mozzarella. Wedges of roasted broccoli and a cheesy Parmesan-panko topping tie it all together.
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Instant Pot Turkey Chili
A big pot of chili is always in rotation on our dinner menus come fall. This version, which is an all-time favorite with our editors, comes together fast thanks to the Instant Pot. It's warm and spicy from poblanos, chili powder, and a touch of cumin.
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Sweet-and-Spicy Pork Chops
This genius recipe has you preheat the sheet pan so it's already hot when you add the broccoli florets and sweet potato wedges. That cuts down on cooking time meaning you can enjoy these pork chops, which are glazed with an irresistible mix of apricot jam and sambal oelek, sooner.
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Roasted Salmon with Kale and Cabbage
You can make (alright, bake) a salmon dinner with kale and cabbage in just 30 minutes. As an added bonus. this meal is so healthy.
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Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Marbella
Using the Instant Pot means this retro dish can be on the table in under an hour. Chicken thighs are braised in an umami-packed broth that is perfectly complemented by sweet prunes and briny olives. Pile it all over cooked polenta or creamy mashed potatoes to serve.
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Sheet Pan Vegetable Hash with Eggs
The most colorful meal in this collection is this vegetarian hash which swaps the usual potato for finely chopped cauliflower and broccoli. In short, this simple plant-based bake as nutritious as it is delicious.
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Cheater's Mac and Cheese
Consider this quick and clever take on mac and cheese an upgrade on our popular One-Pot Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon. It's got creamy, cheesy comfort and a healthy green vegetable. Simply put, it's the easiest, most comforting dinner of all.
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Roasted Sea Bass with Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, and Salsa Rustica
Kick back and relax while the oven does the work tonight. Once the timer buzzes, you'll enjoy the meaty sea bass fillets with healthy greens and sweet potatoes. We're using capers in a parsley, oil, and vinegar sauce that's drizzled over the meal just before serving.
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Weeknight Vegetarian Chili
Chili is such a versatile dish—do you go beans or no beans? Meat or no meat? Here, we're choosing the no meat but plenty of beans route. The result is a flavorful chili that cooks in just 40 minutes. One of our time-saving tricks is to use a skillet rather than a Dutch oven. Why does this work so well? The wider pan surface lets spices and aromatics meld quickly for deep complexity.
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Roasted Salmon, Red Cabbage, and New Potatoes
Here's a different way to cook everyone's favorite fish: Salmon is coated in grainy mustard then nestled between red cabbage and small potatoes for a healthy one-pan meal.
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Super-Grain Soup with Watercress and Mushrooms
Packed with superfoods like watercress, mushrooms, and nutty quinoa, this hearty soup is the warming and healthy dinner you need on a chilly fall night.
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Cannellini-Bean and Greens Stew
Add tender greens like baby kale, spinach, or chard right before serving this robust bean stew so that they're just wilted. And don't sleep on the garlic-and-sage ciabatta toasts to serve alongside—they're the ideal vehicles for soaking up all that delicious broth.
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