50 Recipes to Make the Most of the Fall Harvest (2024)

Home Seasons Fall

It's harvest time, and all our favorite veggies and fruits are in season. Think tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potatoes, squash, plums and apples. Use up your bumper crop in these recipes.

When I became a new mother, my mom helped me find comforting and simple recipes to have on hand. This terrific roast chicken is a happy discovery. —Sara Eilers, Surprise, Arizona

Beet and Sweet Potato Fries

Instead of offering traditional french fries, try these oven-baked root vegetables as a flavorful side dish. —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan

Almond Pear Tart

I had never seen a "pie without a pan" until my daughter brought back this wonderful pear almond tart recipe from a Rotary Club exchange program in Belgium. It's still a family favorite after all these years. —Sherry LaMay, Capitan, New Mexico

Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon

The golden color, smooth and creamy texture, and wonderful taste of this soup make it welcome on a chilly fall day. It has a slightly tangy flavor from the cream cheese, and the cinnamon really comes through. —Jackie Campbell, Stanhope, New Jersey

These colorful little drop biscuits are very easy to put together and yet are packed full of flavor. I serve them warm out of the oven. —Keith Mesch, Mt. Healthy, Ohio

Bacon and Fontina Stuffed Mushrooms

What's better than lots of bacon and cheese in a mushroom cap? Yum! They'll be a hit with your guests, too. —Tammy Rex, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Whenever I make these zucchini chocolate chip muffins, I freeze several. As I'm leaving for work in the morning, I pull one out and enjoy it at the office with a cup of coffee. —Janet Pierce DeCori, Rockton, Illinois

Hot Spinach Apple Salad

With a light sweet-tangy dressing, the spinach doesn’t wilt and the apples retain their crunch. We serve this salad with homemade bread. —Denise Albers, Freeburg, Illinois

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the ultimate fall treat. But my family likes them so much, they ask me to make them all year long! —Brenda Keller, Andalusia, Alabama

The sweetness of the apples and onions nicely complements the roast pork. With its crisp, golden exterior and melt-in-your-mouth flavor, this pork is my family's favorite weekend dinner. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Tomato-Herb Focaccia

With its medley of herbs and tomatoes, this rustic bread will liven up any occasion, whether it’s a family dinner or a game-day get-together. It never lasts long! —Janet Miller, Indianapolis, Indiana

Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes

These delicious sweet potatoes cook effortlessly in the slow cooker so you can tend to other things. Coconut gives the classic a fresh twist. —Raquel Haggard, Edmond, Oklahoma

Fresh Plum Kuchen

I love this stunning cake in autumn with apples and pears, but each year I secretly can't wait for summer to roll back around so I can make plum kuchen. —Anna Daley, Montague, Prince Edward Island

Hearty Vegetable Soup

A friend gave me the idea to use V8 juice in vegetable soup because it provides more flavor. My best vegetable soup recipe is perfect to prepare on a crisp autumn afternoon. —Janice Steinmetz, Somers, Connecticut

Cheesy Zucchini Quiche

A few years ago, I found this zucchini quiche recipe that's quick to prepare and freezes well, too. Just put it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight and pop it into the oven when you wake up! —Karen Howard, Lakeville, Massachusetts

Mushroom-Bean Bourguignon

In our family, boeuf bourguignon has been a staple for generations. I wanted a meatless alternative. All this dish needs is a French baguette. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California

Southwestern Sauteed Corn

My mother-in-law came up with this corn skillet dish one night for dinner. Everyone who tries it absolutely loves it! —Chandy Ward, Aumsville, Oregon

Taste-of-Fall Salad

My parents stayed with me at a friend's beautiful ranch for the holidays and I made them this great salad. It turned into every night's first course. —Kristin Kossak, Bozeman, Montana

Mom's Sweet Potato Bake

Mom loved sweet potatoes and fixed them often in this creamy, comforting baked sweet potato casserole. With its nutty topping, this side dish could almost be served as a dessert. It's a yummy treat! —Sandi Pichon, Memphis, Tennessee

Blueberry Zucchini Squares

I saw a bar recipe using apple and lemon zest on a muffin mix. I tried it from scratch with shredded zucchini and fresh blueberries instead. It’s a nifty combo. —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon

Herb-Buttered Baby Carrots

The herb butter can be used for everything from vegetables to roast chicken, turkey, game hens—let your imagination be your guide.—Sandra Corey, Caldwell, Idaho

Cherry Tomato Mozzarella Saute

This side dish is full of flavor and so quick to put together. The cherry tomatoes and mozzarella are perfect alongside almost any main dish you can think of. —Summer Jones, Pleasant Grove, Utah

Pickled Beets

The pickled beets my mother made came from our garden and were canned for the winter months. Even as a child I loved beets because they brought so much color to our table. —Sara Lindler, Irmo, South Carolina

Plum Crisp with Crunchy Oat Topping

Made with fresh plums and a crunchy oat topping, this crisp is a lighter alternative to classic fruit pie. It goes over well with the women in my church group.—Deidre Kobel, Boulder, Colorado

This corn chowder recipe was one of my favorites as a child in upstate New York, and I still love it today. For extra depth, place the spent cob in the soup, simmer, then remove. —Tracy Bivins, Knob Noster, Missouri

Pomegranate-Hazelnut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I converted many people to Brussels sprouts with this recipe, and it has since become my most requested dish. The richness of the hazelnuts and the sweetness of pomegranate and orange elevate the sprouts to a new level. —Melanie Stevenson, Reading, Pennsylvania

Acorn Squash with Cranberry Stuffing

If you have squash or cranberry lovers at the table, here’s your new go-to recipe. It’s colorful, the blend of flavors is delicious and it’s a fitting addition to a Thanksgiving menu. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas

Corn 'n' Squash Quesadillas

Grilled vegetables give these quesadillas their distinctive flair, while cumin and jalapeno peppers add a little zip. —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas

This is a sensational variation on traditional pizza. It's creamy, sweet and a little salty, with a buttery crunch from the pine nuts. I like to serve it with mixed baby greens salad and a vinaigrette. —Connie Balbach, Bemidji, Minnesota

Smoky Cauliflower

The smoked Spanish paprika gives a simple side of roasted cauliflower extra depth. This is definitely a favorite. —Juliette Mulholland, Corvallis, Oregon

Thymed Zucchini Saute

Simple and flavorful, this recipe is a tasty and healthy way to use up all those zucchini that are taking over your garden. It's ready in hardly any time! —Bobby Taylor, Ulster Park, New York

Stuffed Peppers for Four

Truly a meal in one, this quick supper has it all: Veggies, meat, pasta and sauce, packed into tender peppers. It’ll look so pretty on your table. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Warm Roasted Beet Salad

This recipe lets beets shine. It's a hearty main dish salad that is beautiful on the plate, too. If I have it, I like to use hazelnut oil in this salad.—Jill Anderson, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

Balsamic-Goat Cheese Grilled Plums

Make a bold statement with this simple yet elegant treat. Ripe plums are grilled and then dressed with a balsamic reduction and tangy goat cheese. —Ariana Abelow, Holliston, Massachusetts

Classic Ratatouille

This rich and flavorful ratatouille is the perfect salute to the harvest. Hearty and full of veggies, it fills the kitchen with the comforting aroma of thyme, onions and garlic. —Diane Trester, Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Herbed Tomato Bisque

This would be great to chase away the chill on a stormy night. This creamy tomato soup has a hint of sweetness from honey and great herb flavor.—Dawn Richard, Princeton, Minnesota,

Harvest Sweet Potato Pie

Years ago, we baked pies a few days before holiday gatherings and placed them in a tall pie safe on our back porch. My father called this sweet potato pie recipe "royal pie," because he thought it was fit for a king. It's a treasured hand-me-down family recipe. —Fae Fisher, Callao, Virginia

Zucchini Pancakes

These Zucchini Pancakes are a tasty change of pace from ordinary potato pancakes. Add a little shredded onion to give them a savory kick. —Charlotte Goldberg, Honey Grove, Pennsylvania

Apple Butter

I make several batches of this simple and delicious homemade apple butter recipe to freeze in jars. Depending on the sweetness of the apples used, you can adjust the sugar to taste. —Betty Ruenholl, Syracuse, Nebraska

Creamy Grape Salad

Everyone raves when I bring this refreshing, creamy grape salad to potlucks. For a special finishing touch, sprinkle it with brown sugar and pecans. —Marge Elling, Jenison, Michigan

Autumn Vegetable Mash

I stop mashing before the veggies get too smooth because I like a chunky texture. But go ahead and keep mashing if you like them smoother in this dish. —Dana Balter, Naples, Florida

Scalloped Sweet Corn Casserole

This is my Grandma Ostendorf's corn recipe I grew up enjoying. Now a grandmother myself, I still serve this comfy, delicious side as a family classic. —Lonnie Hartstack, Clarinda, Iowa

Contest-Winning Fall Harvest Salad

For a change, you can swap roasted butternut squash or pumpkin for sweet potatoes in this tasty salad. Any combination of dried fruit and nuts will work as ingredients, so pick your favorites. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Columbia, South Carolina

Plum Orange Jam

We put our homegrown plums to delicious use in this quick and easy jam. It's my favorite thing to serve with buttermilk biscuits. —Kathy Rairigh, Milford, Indiana

As novice gardeners, my husband and I sowed zucchini seeds—15 hills' worth! Happily, my family requests this corn souffle side dish often, so it's a keeper. —Carol Ellerbroek, Gladstone, Illinois