20 Easy Fall Recipes for Effortless Weeknights (45 Minutes or Less)

On the table in 45 minutes or less.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published September 26, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Chicken stuffing casserole in a baking dish with a serving spoon visible

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

Fall is my favorite season, hands down. I live for those fleeting moments in the transition between summer and autumn, when the sunshine still warms my face while the breeze starts to have a chilly edge. In my kitchen, fall often means soups and stews, maybe a Sunday pot roast or big bowl of chili. However, I can't always spend hours putting a meal together. That's where these weeknight-friendly fall recipes come in.

In 45 minutes or less start to finish, these fall recipes deliver all the warm and comforting vibes I'm looking for, leaving me plenty of time to cozy up on the couch.

It's always easy to save any of these to MyRecipes so they're handy–just click through to the recipes that follow, then tap the heart icon by any recipe title.

Join MyRecipes to save, search and sort recipes all in one place! To start saving, click on a recipe below, then tap the heart 🩷 icon.

  • One-Pot Mac and Cheese

    One pot mac and cheese in a dutch oven with a wooden spoon, and in the surroundings, a bowl with cracker topping and a mustard kitchen towel

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "This recipe uses a combination of three cheeses. I love this combo because cheddar provides a lot of flavor, Monterey Jack is an amazing melting cheese that makes the sauce smooth, and cream cheese makes the sauce extra creamy and silky. When swapping cheeses in this recipe, don’t replace the cream cheese, but you can play around with the other two. Ensure the cheese(s) you choose are nice and melty."—Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Pumpkin Chili

    Bowl of easy pumpkin chili topped with a dollop of sour cream and pumpkin seeds at a table setting with another bowl of chili, a lime wedge on the counter, and white table napkins

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    "To make this recipe vegetarian, exclude the meat and substitute it with 12 ounces of Beyond or Impossible meat or another can of beans."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Easy Smothered Pork Chops

    A skillet with smothered pork chops, ready to serve

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera

    "If you want to make this dish a little less rich, omit the heavy cream in the gravy, or use whole milk instead."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Cassoulet

    Easy cassoulet in white dutch oven.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "This recipe calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for a boost of flavor. Could you use chicken breasts or boneless thighs? Yes, you can. They tend to overcook faster, so keep your eye on them as they cook."—Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 20 below

  • Perfect Mashed Potatoes

    A serving bowl of mashed potatoes with butter melting in the center

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "If your potatoes are cooked properly and the butter and cream are warm, you should have no problem mashing your potatoes into a creamy consistency with just a potato masher. Avoid using a blender or food processor; this can make your potatoes gluey."—Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

    unstuffed cabbage rolls in a large pan at a table setting with a stack of plates, a small bowl of minced herbs, glasses of water, and a pepper cracker

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "These unstuffed cabbage rolls use all of the same ingredients but are ready in a fraction of the time. Microwavable rice shrinks the cook time even further and keeps the dish a one-pot dinner—no need to boil a pot of rice."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Chana Masala

    Best Chana Masala bowl of chana masala with rice, and lemon wedge

    Simply Recipes / Prerna Singh

    "Serve chana masala with a side of rice or roti, an Indian flatbread. Or, if you are in the mood for something healthier, go for whole grains like wild rice or quinoa."—Prerna Singh, Recipe Developer

  • One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

    Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup

    Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson

    "This recipe calls for a classic mirepoix of carrots, onions, and celery for the vegetable base, but you can make this recipe your own by adding different vegetables, like fennel or cubes of butternut squash."—Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

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  • Southern Cornbread

    Southern Cornbread in a Skillet with a Piece Cut Out and Another Piece on a Plate

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "Whether to include sugar or not in a southern cornbread recipe is an issue for debate. We've included as an option a tablespoon which just intensifies the flavor of the cornmeal; it doesn't make the cornbread sweet. The choice is yours as to whether or not to include it."—Elise

  • Pumpkin Tomato Soup

    Bowls of pumpkin tomato soup with garnished bread served on a table

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    "I love serving this soup with a garnish of freshly chopped parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and sometimes a drizzle of extra cream and a few extra cracks of black pepper. I also love to pair it with a classic grilled cheese sandwich, some warm garlic bread or breadsticks, or a handful of crunchy croutons."—Annika Panikker, Recipe Developer

  • French Onion Beans

    A cast iron skillet with nicely browned baked french onion beans

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Serve these beans as a main dish next to a big butter lettuce salad or as a side dish cozied up to roasted chicken."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Budae Jjigae (Army Base Stew)

    Budae Jjigae (Army Base Stew) in a large pot boiling on a portable induction stove

    Simply Recipes / Cynthia Christensen

    "Budae jjigae is normally a fall or winter dish because the spicy broth warms you from the inside out. It's also a great communal dish, made in a large pot or wok, with more ingredients added as they are consumed by everyone at the table."—Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

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  • Creamy Polenta

    A bowl of creamy polenta, ready for serving and eating

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Cream cheese gives this polenta its creamy taste. That said, you could also use goat cheese, Parmesan, ricotta, mascarpone, or Mozzarella. All will result in a beautiful, delicious polenta."—Elise

  • Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaves with Broccoli and Potatoes

    Sheet pan meatloaf dinner on a plate with broccoli and potatoes.

    Simply Recipes / Sharon Lehman

    "Traditional meatloaf recipes call for sautéing vegetables—usually a mix of onion, bell pepper, and/or celery—and adding it to the meatloaf mixture. This may be a good way to get your kids to eat some extra vegetables, but this step also adds time and more dishes to the sink. Instead of chopping and sautéing, I rely on my spice cabinet to add plenty of flavor to my meatloaf."—Sharon Lehman, Recipe Developer

  • Meatball Sub Soup

    Bowl of meatball sub soup in a pot-like ramekin at a table setting with spoons, table napkins, a bowl of parsley, glasses of water, and another serving of meatball soup in a ramekin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayliss

    "Frozen Italian-style meatballs cut down on an extra step and bring in a lot of flavor. They are readily available in the frozen aisle of conventional grocery stores and contain a classic blend of Italian seasonings like basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme."—Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Egg Masala Curry

    Plate of Egg Masala Curry with a Spoon on a Kitchen Linen

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    "The ketchup in this recipe adds sweetness to the curry, which balances out the spice and heat. You can substitute 1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce, honey, or brown sugar."—Annika Panikker, Recipe Developer

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  • Salsa Chicken

    salsa verde chicken in a dutch oven at a table setting with a stack of plates with utensils and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "You can serve this salsa verde chicken in several ways. Set out a trivet and place the baking dish on the table for folks to serve themselves whole breasts. Serve alongside rice and beans, veggies like green beans or broccoli, and more. You can also shred the chicken, toss it with the sauce and cheese, and use it to fill tacos or burritos."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

    Kraft mac and cheese - a silver spoon is scooping homemade mac and cheese our of a white casserole dish

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickle

    "If you're short on time, skip the baking! Pour the noodles into the cheese sauce, stir to combine, and serve as-is."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Butternut Squash and Black Bean Skillet Dinner

    Horizontal view of a large cast iron skillet filled with a butternut squash skillet dinner. Cilantro, quinoa, butternut squash and cotija cheese are visible in the pan. To the left is a yellow napkin with three forks on it. Above the forks are three small bowls. One small bowl of rice, a ramiken of roasted pumpkin seeds and a small platter of cilantro.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "You can buy whole, half, or pre-cubed frozen or fresh butternut squash. Whether you are a pre-cut or a whole food all the way kind of person, it’s important to know you need a pound of squash for this recipe."—Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

    Chicken stuffing casserole in a baking dish with a serving spoon visible

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

    "For this recipe, you’ll need about 4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for great flavor and quick prep, but you can boil your own chicken at home if you prefer."—Blair Lonergan, Recipe Developer

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