Source: Simply Recipes
Fall vegetables are hearty and inexpensive. When cooked properly, they make a satisfying main course or savory side dish. Don’t think of overcooked mushy veggies from the past — instead, learn how to cook them by roasting or sautéing to bring out all their delicious flavor. Once you master these culinary skills, give these recipes for seven different fall vegetables a try.
Need a boost of healthy nutrition? Try our weeklong veggies-only challenge (or, if you’re brave, our month-long vegetarian meal plan), plus these healthy and flavor-packed apple cider vinegar recipes!
1. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are little powerhouses loaded with vitamins, cholesterol-reducing fiber, folate, and antioxidants. Convert naysayers to Brussels sprout fanatics by roasting them in the oven and letting them get brown and crispy. Even better, add a little bacon into the mix. They’ll gobble these up!
How to cook Brussels sprouts
- The best Brussels sprouts are small, bright green, and firm
- Remove outer, discolored leaves before cooking
- It’s all about texture — avoid over boiling or steaming
- Try shaving them and adding them to your salad
- Roast with garlic, salt, and pepper, then add a splash of balsamic vinegar
- Top with toasted nuts
Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts
Source: Damn Delicious
This recipe pairs tender, roasted Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon and savory garlic. A hint of honey is added for sweetness, making these lean, green, nutrient-packed veggies irresistible.
Thai-Style Brussel Sprouts
Source: The Kitchn
Roasted in fish sauce, peanuts, and palm sugar, these Brussels sprouts evoke the flavors of Thailand. If you prefer, you can omit the palm sugar from yours since the fish sauce already includes a dash of sweetness.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Grapes
Source: Real Simple
These golden brown Brussels sprouts gain sweetness from seedless grapes. Serve them up for a holiday dinner or a weeknight meal. Either way, these tender sprouts will have everyone at the table clamoring for more.
2. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are very affordable and kids love them. They’re a super food and great for fighting off the flu thanks to vitamin A. Mash them up or bake a tray of sweet potato fries.
How to cook sweet potatoes
- Dice into 1-inch cubes to boil
- Sweeten with maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon
- Spice them up by adding fresh herbs
- Pierce them with a fork before baking
- Microwave them for 4 minutes and then bake at 450 degrees for 5-10 minutes to shorten the baking time
Cajun Sweet Potato Fries
Source: Minimalist Baker
Add some Cajun spice to your sweet potato fries! These pair perfectly with a burger — or you can simply enjoy them on their own as a snack or appetizer. To reduce the level of heat, simply use less cayenne pepper.
Sweet Potato & Beet Galette
Source: Bakeaholic Mama
Galettes are simple to make, and this recipe is packed full of healthy nutrients thanks to a hearty sweet potato and beet filling. Gorgonzola cheese balances out this flavorful, filling treat.
3. Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is also high in vitamin A, and it also delivers healthy carbohydrates, vitamin C, and potassium. A bowl of butternut squash soup will warm you up on a cool fall evening, or you can feed your craving for a salty snack with parmesan-roasted butternut squash.
How to cook butternut squash
- Save money by buying squash whole, then peeling and dicing at home
- Store in a cool place
- Roast the seeds for a tasty snack
- Roast and add to quinoa, kale, or farro
- Thinly slice for salads
- Puree for sauces and soups
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Source: KitchMe
Butternut squash, warm cider vinaigrette, and maple syrup create an intricate mix of delicious flavors. This is the perfect fall spin on a healthy salad.
Apple-Butternut Squash Soup
Source: Adventures in the Kitchen
Sweet apples and apple cider add a warm, sweet twist on this butternut squash soup. Grab a pack of pre-cut butternut squash at your favorite grocery store or save by buying it whole and dicing it up at home.
Parmesan-Roasted Butternut Squash
Source: Budget Savvy Diva
Anything roasted with Parmesan is sure to be a hit at the dinner table, and butternut squash is no exception. You’ll love the fact that the outside of your roasted squash is crunchy while the inside is soft and tender.
Find 10 more ways to cook and serve squash here!
4. Pumpkin
The stores are full of pumpkins and you can find many money-saving specials this month. Though not technically a vegetable (it’s a berry!), pumpkin can be a delicious savory addition to fall meals.
Check out 12 more tasty pumpkin recipes here!
How to cook pumpkin
- Buy firm, brightly-colored pumpkins
- Try the small pie pumpkins for baking, they’re richer and sweeter than the big ones
- Cut it into quarters, then scoop out the flesh to roast
- Leave the big pumpkins for carving
- Puree and make a shake
- Roast and serve as a side dish
- Pair with pasta for a hearty fall meal
5-Ingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup
Source: Foodie Crush
Curry paste and coconut milk give this pumpkin soup recipe some zing. Add in chicken broth and red chili peppers and you’re ready to sip on this hearty fall soup in just 10 minutes.
Pumpkin Fettuccini Alfredo
Source: Cookie & Kate
Replace the butter and Parmesan in your fettuccini alfredo with creamy pumpkin puree for a healthier take on this classic dish.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything
Pumpkin seeds are one of the must-have treats of fall. Save all of the discarded seeds from your pumpkin carving projects and roast them up to crisp perfection. If you’re able to wait a few extra days, soaking them in water and drying them out beforehand is said to make them extra crispy.
5. Fennel
Fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet with a hint of licorice. It’s high in vitamin C, making it a great immunity booster. Fresh fennel is also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium, manganese, and beta-carotene. Traditionally found in Italian recipes, you can eat fennel raw in salads or roast it in the oven after sprinkling it with lemon juice and Parmesan.
How to cook fennel
- Look for fresh, bright fronds and plump bulbs without discoloration
- Refrigerate for up to three days
- Remove the tough outer layer and trim off the bottom
- Shred it into slaws and salads
- Braise with chicken or fish
- Puree it into soups or sauces
- Use the fennel fronds as garnish
Apple Fennel Slaw
Source: My Recipes
Pair your fennel with crisp, tart, and sweet apples for a fall salad jam-packed with flavor. Be sure to leave the skin on your apples for a burst of color and extra texture.
Roasted Curried Fennel
Source: Soni’s Food
Give the light licorice taste of fennel a hint of spice with curry powder. You’ll enjoy the aroma of this fall-themed snack as it cooks almost as much as you enjoy munching away on it when it’s done.
6. Delicata Squash
Delicata squash is a winter squash, much like butternut squash, that’s oval with green stripes. You can microwave, sauté, or roast it with the skin still on, making it an easy choice for weeknight dinners.
How to cook delicate squash
- Select a squash that’s firm, heavy for its size, and creamy in color
- Store it in a cool dry place for up to 3 months
- Add it to your favorite stuffing
- Bake it with your favorite seasonings
- Roast it in a pan to caramelize and bring out the rich flavor
Maple Syrup-Roasted Delicata Squash & Brussel Sprouts
Source: Simply Recipes
Remember those Brussels sprouts? They’re the perfect addition to this sweet delicata squash recipe. Sprinkle in some pomegranate seeds and shallots and you’ve made a heavenly, healthy dish.
Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Apple Butter Vinaigrette
Source: A Communal Table
Infuse your salad with the fall flavors of delicata squash and apple butter. Couscous and pecans fill you up while keeping things healthy and oh-so-flavorful.
All of these fall vegetables would make a lovely Thanksgiving dish. Find even more Thanksgiving side dish inspiration here!
Kale & Quinoa-Stuffed Delicata Squash
Source: Green Healthy Cooking
Once your delicata squash is hollowed out, it makes the perfect vessel for holding other nutritious treats. This recipe packs your squash with nutrient-packed kale and quinoa, then adds delicious flavor with Tahini dressing.
7. Beets
Earthy and beautiful beets are also super nutritious, filled with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and C, plus choline, folic acid, iodine, manganese, organic sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, copper, and phosphorus. How’s that for a nutritious line-up?
How to cook beets
- Shop for beets that are firm with bright green, leafy tops
- Peel off that tough outer layer with a vegetable peeler
- Try juicing beets, they’re great for cleanses
- Boil them in salted water for 40-60 minutes, depending on size
- Steam or roast them in the oven
- Want to be sneaky? Try adding beets in baked goods for a moist, delicious texture
Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash & Beets
Source: The Roasted Root
The natural sugars in beets and butternut squash combine with a single tablespoon of maple syrup to create a caramelized, sweet concoction. You may be tempted to go light on the salt, but be assured that it will only enhance the flavors of this roasted dish.
Slow Cooker Beets with Goat Cheese Drizzle
Source: Skinny Ms.
Toss those beets in the slow cooker and enjoy the resulting silky soft texture. The combination of beets and goat cheese is, simply put, divine!
Chocolate Beet Bundt Cake
Source: Simple Bites
Chocolate and beets may not be the first combination you think of, but they make the most satisfyingly rich and decadent bundt cake in this recipe. Beets contain natural sugars, so they fit perfectly with this chocolate concoction.
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