15 Hearty Autumn Dinner Recipes for Cold Nights

When the air turns crisp, dinner needs to be hearty. These 15 autumn dinners — stews, braises, and bakes — are stick-to-your-ribs satisfying.

Below you’ll find 15 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Flaky, golden, and bubbling with creamy chicken filling.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken breast
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups mixed vegetables
• 1 tube biscuit dough
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 pie crust

Instructions

1. Mix chicken, soup, vegetables, broth, and thyme.
2. Pour into a pie dish.
3. Top with pie crust; crimp edges.
4. Cut vents; bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
5. Rest 10 minutes.

2. Beef and Stout Stew

Deep, malty stew with melt-in-your-mouth beef.

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef chuck
• 1 cup stout beer
• 4 carrots, chunked
• 3 potatoes, chunked
• 2 onions, quartered
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions

1. Sear beef in batches.
2. Add vegetables and tomato paste.
3. Pour in stout and broth.
4. Simmer 2 hours.
5. Season and serve.

3. Sausage and White Bean Soup

Rustic Italian soup with hearty beans and greens.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 2 cans white beans
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups kale
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp rosemary

Instructions

1. Brown sausage.
2. Add onion and garlic.
3. Pour in broth; add beans and rosemary.
4. Simmer 25 minutes.
5. Stir in kale; cook 5 minutes.

4. Chicken Cacciatore

Rustic hunter-style chicken braised with peppers.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken thighs
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cups marinara
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Sear chicken 6 minutes per side.
2. Sauté pepper and onion.
3. Add marinara and oregano.
4. Return chicken; simmer 30 minutes.
5. Top with parmesan.

5. Pork Chops with Cider Gravy

Juicy chops in a sweet apple-cider cream gravy.

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops
• 2 apples, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Sear chops 4 minutes per side.
2. Sauté apples and onion in butter.
3. Add cider; reduce by half.
4. Stir in cream and thyme.
5. Return chops; simmer 8 minutes.

6. Hearty Turkey Chili

Lean but loaded chili with bold spice.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground turkey
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 cup cheddar

Instructions

1. Brown turkey with onion.
2. Stir in spices.
3. Add beans and tomatoes.
4. Simmer 35 minutes.
5. Top with cheddar.

7. Beef Ragu with Pappardelle

Slow-braised beef ragu clinging to wide ribbons of pasta.

Ingredients

• 2 lb beef chuck
• 12 oz pappardelle
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp rosemary

Instructions

1. Sear beef.
2. Sauté onion and garlic.
3. Add wine, tomatoes, and rosemary.
4. Braise at 325°F for 2.5 hours.
5. Shred; toss with pappardelle.

8. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Tender cabbage wrapped around savory beef and rice.

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage
• 1.5 lb ground beef
• 1 cup rice, cooked
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp paprika

Instructions

1. Blanch cabbage leaves.
2. Mix beef, rice, onion, and paprika.
3. Roll filling in leaves.
4. Top with tomato sauce and brown sugar.
5. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

9. Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Smoky, spicy Louisiana gumbo with a dark roux.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken thighs
• 1/2 lb andouille sausage
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup rice
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning

Instructions

1. Make a dark roux with oil and flour.
2. Add onion and pepper.
3. Stir in broth and seasoning.
4. Add chicken and sausage; simmer 45 minutes.
5. Serve over rice.

10. Lamb Shepherd's Pie

Rich lamb and veg under creamy mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground lamb
• 3 lb potatoes
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 cup peas
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup butter

Instructions

1. Brown lamb with carrots.
2. Stir in tomato paste, peas, and broth.
3. Mash potatoes with butter.
4. Spread lamb in a dish; top with potatoes.
5. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes.

11. Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Golden chicken in a silky mushroom-thyme sauce.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken breast
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 1 cup cream
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour

Instructions

1. Sear chicken; set aside.
2. Sauté mushrooms in butter.
3. Whisk in flour; add broth.
4. Stir in cream and thyme.
5. Return chicken; simmer 12 minutes.

12. Pot Roast with Root Vegetables

Sunday-style roast with sweet caramelized roots.

Ingredients

• 4 lb chuck roast
• 6 carrots
• 4 parsnips
• 2 turnips
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Sear roast.
2. Add roots and tomato paste.
3. Pour in broth; add bay.
4. Braise at 325°F for 3 hours.
5. Slice against the grain.

13. Turkey Tetrazzini

Creamy baked pasta that gives leftovers new life.

Ingredients

• 3 cups turkey, shredded
• 12 oz spaghetti
• 2 cups turkey gravy
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 1 cup peas
• 1 cup parmesan
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti.
2. Mix with turkey, gravy, mushrooms, and peas.
3. Transfer to a baking dish.
4. Top with parmesan and breadcrumbs.
5. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.

14. Baked Beans and Sausage

Sweet-smoky beans with hearty sausage slices.

Ingredients

• 1 lb smoked sausage
• 2 cans baked beans
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Brown sausage slices.
2. Mix with beans, onion, and sauces.
3. Add brown sugar and mustard.
4. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
5. Rest 10 minutes.

15. Chicken Corn Chowder

Thick, sweet corn chowder with bacon and chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 4 cups corn
• 4 potatoes, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup cream
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 bacon strips

Instructions

1. Crisp bacon; set aside.
2. Sauté onion in bacon fat.
3. Add corn, potatoes, and broth.
4. Simmer 20 minutes.
5. Stir in cream, chicken, and bacon.