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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    24 Easy Fall Dinners for Busy Weeknights

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on October 14, 2025, updated August 27, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, busy weeknights can make it tough to whip up a satisfying dinner. These 24 easy fall recipes are perfect for those hectic evenings, offering warm and comforting meals that come together quickly. From hearty soups to simple casseroles, these dishes will keep your family happy and cozy all season long.

    Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup

    Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup.
    Photo Credit: The Rustic Foodie.

    This Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup is a healthy option that's gluten and dairy free. It's prepared in the crockpot and features poblano peppers in a flavorful Southwest broth. Perfect for cozy fall evenings, this soup is simple to make and packed with good ingredients.

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    Easy Shepherd's Pie

    Easy Shepherd’s Pie
    Photo Credit: Bowl of Delicious.

    Shepherd's Pie is a cozy dish that's perfect for chilly evenings. It's simple to prepare with just a handful of ingredients, making it a great choice when you're craving something filling and satisfying. You can use ground beef or lamb, and it's also a fantastic option to prepare in advance and freeze for those busy days.

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    Creamy Chicken Pasta with Red Wine & Mushrooms

    Red wine chicken pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Creamy Chicken Pasta is ready in just 30 minutes and is always a hit. With the rich flavors of red wine, mushrooms, and thyme, it's a great choice for an easy dinner. You'll enjoy it so much that you might want to save some for lunch the next day. It's bound to become a go-to pasta dish in your home.

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    Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

    Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup.
    Photo Credit: Curry Trail.

    Creamy tomato tortellini soup is a quick and easy dish that you can whip up in just 20 minutes. It's a warm and comforting vegetarian soup filled with cheese tortellini, canned tomatoes, fresh herbs, and spinach. Topping it with parmesan cheese and serving it with some crusty bread makes it a satisfying meal perfect for chilly evenings.

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    Roasted Red Pepper Soup

    Roasted red pepper soup with cheese.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    In just half an hour, you can enjoy a delicious roasted red pepper soup that's creamy and smoky. Using jarred roasted red peppers, smoked Gouda, heavy cream, and some dried herbs, this soup is packed with flavor and is easy to make. It's a great option for a cozy fall dinner.

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    Pork Chops with Red Wine & Mushrooms

    Cast iron skillet pork chops.
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    These Cast Iron Pork Chops are quick to prepare and ready in just 25 minutes, making them a great choice for dinner. The combination of garlic, mushrooms, and thyme adds a wonderful flavor, and searing them before simmering in red wine ensures they turn out juicy and tender. This dish is perfect for a cozy fall evening.

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    Ground Turkey Soup

    Ground Turkey Soup
    Photo Credit: Foodess.

    This soup combines ground turkey with hearty potatoes and vegetables, creating a dish that's both satisfying and easy to enjoy. It's a great option for a cozy fall dinner, offering a nice mix of flavors and textures. Perfect for those chilly evenings, this meal is light yet filling, making it a wonderful choice for any night of the week.

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    Salmon Stew

    A bowl of salmon stew.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Salmon Stew is perfect for chilly evenings, bringing warmth and a bit of spice to your dinner table. It's quick to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes, and uses everyday ingredients that you probably already have on hand. This dish is sure to become a favorite for those nights when you want something delicious without spending too much time in the kitchen.

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    Peruvian Beef Noodle Soup

    Peruvian Beef Noodle Soup.
    Photo Credit: Beyond Mere Sustenance.

    A warm bowl of soup is perfect for those chilly fall evenings. This Sopa Criolla features lean beef, angel hair pasta, and fresh vegetables, all brought together with a hint of ají panca for a little kick. It's a comforting dish that you can whip up in just half an hour, making it a great choice for a cozy dinner.

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    Cream of Mushroom Soup

    Gluten-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    This gluten-free Cream of Mushroom Soup is perfect for a quick dinner in just 30 minutes. It's simple to prepare and doesn't use any flour, relying instead on plenty of cream for a rich flavor. This comforting soup is a great choice for chilly fall evenings.

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    Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

    Chicken noodle soup.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This spicy soup is packed with Thai flavors and is just right for chilly evenings when you want something warm and comforting. It's a great choice for a cozy dinner that doesn't require a lot of work. Enjoy the rich and vibrant tastes that will make your meal feel special.

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    Green Chicken Pozole

    Green Chicken Pozole.
    Photo Credit: Binky's Culinary Carnival.

    Green chicken pozole is a warm and satisfying Mexican soup that features tender chicken and hominy in a tasty green broth. The broth is made with tomatillos, chilies, and fresh herbs, giving it a vibrant flavor. This dish is perfect for cozy fall evenings when you want something hearty and comforting.

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    Crockpot Ranch Chicken Casserole

    Crockpot Ranch Chicken Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Budget Delicious.

    Crockpot Ranch Chicken Casserole is a simple slow cooker dish that's perfect for busy days. This meal is budget-friendly, easy to prepare, and loved by the whole family. It also works well as a freezer meal, making meal prep a breeze.

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    Crockpot Chicken Bacon & Ranch Tater Tot Casserole

    Crockpot Chicken Bacon & Ranch Tater Tot Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Our Love Language is Food.

    This slow cooker casserole puts a fun spin on the classic tater tot dish that many people remember from their childhood. The mix of chicken, bacon, ranch, and tater tots creates a comforting meal that's perfect for chilly evenings. It's an easy option that brings warmth and satisfaction to the table.

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    Chicken Fajita Casserole

    Chicken Fajita Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Haute & Healthy Living.

    Chicken fajita casserole is an easy dish to prepare and a healthy option that kids love, making it great for a weeknight dinner. It combines cream cheese, Greek yogurt, shredded chicken, fajita seasoning, and lots of cheese, resulting in a flavorful meal that's also flexible.

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    Spanish Chicken Stew

    Spanish chicken stew with rice.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    A quick chicken stew can be made using rotisserie chicken, bringing together the bright flavors of lemon and rosemary. This dish is perfect for busy nights when you want something warm and comforting without a lot of work. It's a simple way to enjoy a hearty meal that everyone will love.

    Get the recipe

    Spicy Chicken Soup

    Spicy chicken soup.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This spicy chicken soup is perfect for when you want something warm and comforting. Made with half a chicken and two kinds of chili, it's full of flavor and has a nice variety of textures. You can whip it up in under an hour, and it's low in carbs, making it a great choice for a cozy dinner. Plus, it freezes well, so you can always have some ready to go.

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    Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup with Vegetables

    Healthy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup with Vegetables.
    Photo Credit: Haute & Healthy Living.

    Leftover turkey rice soup is a great way to use up turkey leftovers and turn them into a creamy, vegetable-filled dish that's perfect for chilly days. It's a lighter meal option after all the heavy holiday food, and it comes together in just 35 minutes. This soup is comforting and satisfying, making it a perfect choice for a quick dinner.

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    Cheeseburger Casserole

    Cheeseburger Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Much Butter.

    Cheeseburger Casserole will remind you of a taste of home, a very comfortable dish with a single pot, simple, cheesy beefy, and tasty! Forever classic favorite food for your dinner!

    Crock Pot 15 Bean Soup

    15 Bean Soup Crock Pot.
    Photo Credit: The Feathered Nester.

    15 Bean Soup in a crock pot is a comforting meal that you can prepare with minimal effort. Just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you. This hearty ham and bean soup is perfect for those chilly fall evenings when you want something warm and filling.

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    Skillet Stuffed Peppers

    Skillet Stuffed Peppers.
    Photo credit: Raising Generation Nourished.

    Skip the fussy prep and make skillet stuffed peppers with the most rich, delicious flavor, sure to make the whole family happy!

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    Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Bacon & Mushrooms

    Gnocchi with bacon and mushrooms.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This simple meal comes together with just 8 ingredients, perfect for a tasty dinner any night. Featuring tender gnocchi, crispy bacon, hearty mushrooms, and crunchy pine nuts, this dish is packed with flavor and is sure to be a hit at the table.

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    Slow Cooker Taco Soup

    Slow Cooker Taco Soup.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This soup is simple to make and packed with flavor, perfect for a cozy fall dinner. It features fire roasted corn, fresh salsa, and whole black olives, creating a delicious combination. Just toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do the work for you.

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    Cheesy No-Boil Lasagna

    Cheesy No-Boil Lasagna.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    No-Boil Lasagna is a quick and easy dish that you can prepare in just 10 minutes. There's no need to boil the noodles beforehand, which saves you time and effort. This is a great option for busy fall evenings when you want a comforting meal without spending hours in the kitchen.

    Get the recipe

    More Recipe Roundups

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      23 Dump-And-Cook Chicken Dinners That Simplify Mealtime
    • Chicken and rice casserole.
      22 Quick and Hearty Meals to Embrace the Fall Season
    • Poor man's stew.
      16 Set-It-And-Forget-It Dinners That Feel like a Warm Hug

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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