Fall brings to mind cozy color palettes, family traditions, and savory seasonal foods such as pears, apples, pumpkins, and pecans. It’s also a busy (and sometimes stressful) time, with events like homecoming celebrations, football games, hayrides, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

With so much already on your plate, why not switch up your dinner menu with these easy fall recipes? These simple warm soups and slow cooker recipes fold in some of the most popular fall foods while cutting down on prep time, so you can enjoy the season to its fullest. You’ll need large pots or a Dutch oven, which Ashley has readily available in beautiful cookware sets.

Bonus: Some of these fall dinner recipes are also fun fall cooking activities! Gather the family, and check out these perfect comfort food recipes for fall.

Fall Soup Recipes

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 can (28 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 cups chopped green peppers
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups cooked long-grain rice
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Over medium heat in a Dutch oven, brown beef until no longer pink; drain. Return to pan. Stir in the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until peppers are tender, about 30 minutes.
  3. Add cooked rice. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes longer. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Pork and Poblano Stew

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 teaspoons hot chili powder
  • 1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 fresh poblano chile pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large red sweet pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) of fire-roasted tomatoes with garlic, undrained
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 inches stick cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a medium bowl, sprinkle chili powder over pork. Toss to coat.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook pork, occasionally stirring, about 4 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from saucepan; set aside.
  3. Using remaining olive oil, cook peppers and onion in saucepan over medium-high heat until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Uncover, and add reserved pork and orange juice. Simmer for 5 minutes more. Stir in orange peel. Remove stick cinnamon before serving.

Butternut Squash Chili

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound ground beef or turkey
  • 3/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 to 2 cups water
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 to 15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • Chopped avocado, plain Greek yogurt, and shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef and onion, stirring meat occasionally to crumble, until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the next five ingredients; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in water, beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
  3. Stir in squash. Simmer, covered, until squash is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Simmer about 1 minute longer.
  4. Serve with avocado, yogurt, and cheese if desired.

Crockpot & Slow Cooker Recipes for Fall

Break out the cookers! Fall Crockpot recipes make putting dinner on the table a snap. Among fall chicken recipes for the slow cooker, we’ve found a hearty enchilada casserole.

Our fall slow cooker recipes include two autumnal sides so you can free up more space on your tabletop or in the oven when you most need it.

Slow-Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chilies
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned, or roasted
  • 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and diced
  • 1 Roma tomato, diced

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a 6-quart slow cooker: Add chicken, broth, quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, beans, cilantro, cumin, and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover. Cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours, or until liquid is reduced.
  2. Remove chicken from slow cooker. Shred using two forks.
  3. Stir in shredded chicken. Top with cheeses. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 20 minutes, until cheeses melt.
  4. Garnish with avocado and tomato. Serve immediately.

Slow-Cooker Carnitas

Serves: 10

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a small bowl, combine salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon. Coat pork with spice mixture.
  2. Place bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place pork on top. Pour chicken broth around the sides of the pork; be careful not to rinse off spice mixture.
  3. Cover and cook on low about 5 hours. Turn the meat. Baste with cooking liquid as needed.
  4. Cook on low about 5 hours more, until pork shreds easily with a fork.
  5. Remove from cooker. Shred with two forks. Use for tacos, burritos, tamales, or barbecue pork sandwiches.

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Soup

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon dried celery flakes, optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
  • 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • Sour cream and pepitas (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except sour cream and pepitas. Cook, covered, on low until potatoes are tender, about 5 to 6 hours.
  2. Puree soup using an immersion blender. (Or cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a regular blender.) Return to slow cooker and heat through. Top with sour cream and pepitas before serving if desired.

Slow-Cooker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Nutmeg
  • 2 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together cream, garlic, thyme, and a pinch of nutmeg until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. To a 4-quart slow cooker, add a layer of potatoes in an overlapping pattern; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour 1/3 cup cream mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with Gruyere.
  3. Repeat with remaining potato slices, cream mixture, and Gruyere to create two more layers.
  4. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 to 5 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover and cook until melted, about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove lid and let potatoes rest for 15 minutes, allowing sauce to thicken. Garnish with fresh thyme as desired.

Ready to get cooking? Set out the plates, and don’t forget to invite a few friends over to share these delicious flavors.