Healthy Fall Dinners That Taste Like Sweater Weather

The first cold evening of the year always does the same thing to me: I stop wanting salads and start wanting something that simmers. These six healthy fall dinners are built for exactly that mood. They lean on squash, pumpkin, apples, mushrooms and Brussels sprouts, they come together on a weeknight (or prep ahead on Sunday), and each one lists calories and protein per serving so you know what you are eating.

No cream sauces, no cheese blankets. The comfort comes from roasting, slow simmering and a few warm spices instead.

Healthy fall dinner recipes at a glance

Dinner	Total time	Calories	Protein	Best for
Turkey and butternut squash chili	45 min	415	33 g	Freezing, game nights
Maple Dijon salmon with Brussels sprouts	40 min	494	34 g	A one-pan weeknight
Chicken, apple and kale wild rice bowls	30 min + rice	492	39 g	Lunch leftovers
Mushroom and white bean barley risotto	50 min	412	23 g	Meatless Monday
Stuffed acorn squash with chickpeas and feta	50 min	479	17 g	Something that looks festive
Pumpkin red lentil curry	30 min	351	15 g	Using up canned pumpkin

1. Turkey and Butternut Squash Chili

This is my default fall chili. Butternut squash melts into the tomatoes and makes the pot taste slow-cooked after 35 minutes. Serves 4. 415 calories and 33 g protein per bowl.

• 1 lb (454 g) 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cups (420 g) peeled butternut squash, in 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, salt

1. Brown the turkey in the oil in a large pot, breaking it up, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes more.
2. Stir in the garlic and spices for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Add the squash, beans, tomatoes and broth. Simmer, partly covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender.
4. Mash a few squash cubes against the side of the pot to thicken it. Season and serve.

Top it with plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream if you want more protein. Chili is also one of the best things you can freeze, see the storage notes below.

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2. Maple Dijon Salmon With Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

A sheet pan dinner that tastes like Thanksgiving side dishes with a real main attached. The trick is giving the vegetables a head start so they caramelize while the salmon stays tender. Serves 4. 494 calories and 34 g protein per serving.

• 4 salmon fillets, 5 oz (140 g) each
• 1 lb (454 g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 large sweet potato (about 300 g), in 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the sprouts and sweet potato with 1 1/2 tbsp oil, salt and pepper and spread them out on a large sheet pan. Roast 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the maple syrup, mustard, remaining oil and pepper flakes.
3. Push the vegetables to the edges, add the salmon skin side down and brush it with the glaze.
4. Roast 12 to 15 minutes more, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the sprouts are browned at the edges.

If you like this style of cooking, there are five more one-pan ideas in our healthy sheet pan dinners with 15 minutes of prep.

Salmon fan? These healthy salmon recipes for dinner add six more ways to cook it in 30 minutes or less, from honey garlic to air fryer.

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3. Chicken, Apple and Kale Wild Rice Bowls

Crisp apple, chewy wild rice and toasted pecans make this feel like a fall salad that actually fills you up. Wild rice takes about 45 minutes, so cook it on the weekend and these bowls take 30 minutes on a weeknight. Serves 4. 492 calories and 39 g protein per bowl.

• 1 1/4 lb (567 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup (160 g) uncooked wild rice
• 1 large apple, thinly sliced
• 4 packed cups (85 g) chopped kale, stems removed
• 1/4 cup (28 g) pecans, toasted and chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp smoked paprika, salt, pepper

1. Simmer the wild rice in plenty of salted water for 45 to 50 minutes, until the grains split open. Drain.
2. Heat the oven to 400°F. Rub the chicken with 1 tbsp oil, paprika, salt and pepper and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through and the juices run clear. Rest 5 minutes and slice.
3. Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp oil with the vinegar, maple and mustard. Massage half of it into the kale for 1 minute so it softens.
4. Divide the rice, kale, chicken and apple between 4 bowls. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing and top with pecans.

Pack the apple and dressing separately if you are making these for lunch. For more ways to cook a batch of chicken once and eat it all week, see these chicken meal prep ideas that don’t taste like leftovers.

4. Mushroom and White Bean Barley Risotto

Pearled barley gets just as creamy as arborio rice and it forgives you if you walk away from the stove. White beans add protein, and a pound of browned mushrooms makes it taste rich without any butter or cream. Serves 4. 412 calories and 23 g protein per serving.

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• 1 cup (200 g) pearled barley
• 1 lb (454 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can (15 oz) white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, kept warm
• 3 cups (90 g) baby spinach
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated parmesan
• 2 garlic cloves, fresh thyme, lemon juice, salt, pepper

1. Brown the mushrooms in the oil over medium-high heat without stirring too often, about 8 minutes. Add the shallot, garlic and thyme for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the barley to coat, then add 2 cups of broth. Simmer, stirring every few minutes and adding more broth as it absorbs, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the barley is tender but still chewy.
3. Stir in the beans and spinach until the spinach wilts.
4. Take it off the heat, stir in the parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. Add a splash of broth if it is too thick.

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5. Stuffed Acorn Squash With Chickpeas, Quinoa and Feta

This is the one to make when friends come over. Each person gets their own squash half, and it looks like far more work than it is. It is also the lightest on protein here, so serve it with a scoop of Greek yogurt or a side of roast chicken if you want more. Serves 4. 479 calories and 17 g protein per stuffed half.

• 2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 1/2 cup (85 g) uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach
• 1/4 cup (30 g) dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup (57 g) crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup (28 g) pecans, chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, salt, pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the squash cut side down on a lined sheet pan and roast 30 to 35 minutes, until a knife slides in easily.
2. Meanwhile, simmer the quinoa in 1 cup water, covered, for 15 minutes.
3. Cook the onion in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas, cinnamon and cumin for 3 minutes, then stir in the spinach, quinoa and cranberries.
4. Flip the squash, pile in the filling, top with feta and pecans and bake 10 minutes more.

6. Pumpkin Red Lentil Curry

Red lentils cook down in about 20 minutes and canned pumpkin turns the sauce silky. It is the cheapest dinner on this list and the one I make when the fridge is nearly empty. Serves 4. 351 calories and 15 g protein per serving, before rice.

• 1 cup (192 g) dried red lentils, rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/2 can (200 g) coconut milk
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups water
• 4 cups (120 g) baby spinach
• 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp curry powder, salt, lime juice

1. Cook the onion in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder for 1 minute.
2. Add the lentils, pumpkin and water. Simmer 18 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils fall apart.
3. Stir in the coconut milk and spinach and cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and lime juice.

Have extra pumpkin from another recipe? Half a can goes into our pumpkin overnight oats for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Want something sweet after any of these? This healthy apple crisp with an oat and pecan topping uses just 1/4 cup of maple syrup for the whole pan.

How to keep fall comfort food healthy

Fall cooking goes off the rails in the same three places every year, and none of the fixes are hard:

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• Let vegetables do the “creamy” work. Mashed squash in chili, pumpkin in curry and barley starch in risotto give body without heavy cream. The same idea works in our healthy white chicken chili.
• Anchor every plate with protein. Turkey, salmon, chicken, beans, lentils and chickpeas keep these dinners filling. Aim for a palm-sized portion or a full cup of beans.
• Roast hot, not long. 400 to 425°F browns squash and sprouts with a tablespoon or two of oil instead of a pool of it.
• Cook once, eat twice. Chili, risotto and curry all reheat well, and the slow cooker is great for hands-off nights too. Try these healthy crockpot chicken recipes when you will not be home to stir.

Storing and freezing leftovers

According to the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart, soups and stews with meat or vegetables keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 2 to 3 months in the freezer, which covers the chili and the curry. Cooked meat or poultry, like the chicken in the wild rice bowls, also keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The chart notes freezer times are for quality; food kept at 0°F stays safe longer, but the texture slips.

The salmon and the stuffed squash are best the day you make them. Barley thickens as it sits, so loosen leftover risotto with a splash of broth when you reheat it. Raw ground turkey should be cooked within 1 to 2 days of buying it.

How we calculated the numbers

Calories and protein are estimates per serving, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values per 100 g for the main ingredients at the weights listed. Spices, garlic, lemon or lime juice and mustard are not counted, and your totals will shift with brands and portion sizes. Rice or bread on the side is extra.

Sources

• FoodSafety.gov: Cold Food Storage Charts
• USDA FoodData Central values via GetFoodFacts: ground turkey, 93% lean (FDC 172850), Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (FDC 175167), chicken breast, raw (FDC 171077), lentils, raw (FDC 172420), butternut squash, raw (FDC 169295), acorn squash, raw (FDC 168472), chickpeas, canned, drained (FDC 173800), kidney beans, canned, drained (FDC 174285), white beans, canned (FDC 175204), pearled barley (FDC 170284), wild rice (FDC 169726), quinoa (FDC 168874), canned pumpkin (FDC 168450) and coconut milk, canned (FDC 170173), plus the matching pages for vegetables, oils, cheeses and nuts.