No Time, No Problem: 7 Quick Fall Meals for Busy Weeknights

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Hello, fall 🍁

It’s the season of cozy sweaters, changing leaves, and crisp evening air. But for many of us, it’s also the season of crazy schedules and very limited time. Who has the energy to plan, shop, and cook elaborate meals on a weeknight when you’ve been battling traffic or wrangling kids all day? Fear not! I’ve got you covered with some quick fall meals for weeknight dinners that’ll have you savoring the flavors of autumn in under 30 minutes. Welcome to my fall feast for the time-starved.

Autumn’s Bounty in a Hurry

Fall is a season of abundant flavors. From butternut squash and pumpkin to apples and pears, there’s a cornucopia of ingredients waiting to be transformed into a delectable meal. Last week, I shared 10 Soul-Warming Fall Soup Recipes for the season. Now, in line with that, let’s delve into the secret to preparing fast, flavorful fall meals without sacrificing taste.

Essential Kitchen Appliances for Busy Professionals

First things first, if you lead a busy professional life, there are a few must-have kitchen appliances that will become your culinary allies. These kitchen staples are essential for any home, helping you prepare meals quickly and efficiently. The lineup includes a reliable crockpot or slow cooker for set-and-forget cooking, a convenient rice cooker, the versatile Instant Pot, a handy food processor, a high-speed blender, and, if you’re aiming for even more versatility, the optional air fryer. With these tools at your disposal, you’ll have the power to whip up delicious meals even on the busiest of days.

1. Butternut Squash Pasta (20 minutes)

Megan Gilmare is a certified nutrition consultant with two busy kids who knows all too well the chaos in making dinners, let alone healthy ones, for busy weeknights. Her butternut squash pasta recipe is the perfect quick last minute dinner that takes only 20 minutes to make and is the ultimate fall comfort food. Her recipe is vegan, dairy-free, and loaded with veggies!

Recipe: Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

2. Sweet Potato and Ground Turkey Skillet (20 minutes)

Quick doesn’t mean tasteless. This easy weeknight meal is a few simple ingredients you can grab from the grocery store on your ride home from work (or Dash Dashed in my case).

Recipe: from @primaverakitchen

3. Best Beef Chili (20 minutes)

Who says chili needs to simmer for hours? Natasha’s Beef Chili is a hearty and flavorful quick fall meal that’s perfect for those cozy evenings. Follow her easy recipe to satisfy your chili cravings!

Recipe: Best Beef Chili

4. Skillet Pepper Steak (15 minutes)

This fast fall dinner requires minimal cleanup and is a mere 230 calories per serving! You can bet we’re whipping this up tonight, and it’s on the menu for tomorrow’s lunch too.

Recipe: 15-Minute Skillet Pepper Steak

5. CrockPot Tuscan Garlic Chicken Thighs With Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (prep time 10 minutes)

What’s a round-up without a dump-dinner. For those unacquainted, dump dinners are epitome of quick fall meals and precisely as straightforward as they sound: Gather all your ingredients and toss them into a casserole dish, slow cooker, sheet pan, or pot, and voilà, dinner is nearly ready to serve. This hearty crockpot meal makes an easy keto & low carb dinner the family will love. 

Recipe: Crockpot Tucson Garlic Chicken

6. One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta (20 minutes)

Sara Lynn’s Recipe on classic spaghetti is simplistic. “Instead of cooking your pasta and your sauce in separate pots, you cook them together at the same time,” she says. “The result is a richer, more flavorful dish with a much creamier texture than any traditional pasta could ever hope to achieve.”

Recipe: Sara Lynn Cauchon’s The Domestic Geek’s Meals Made Easy: A Fresh, Fuss-Free Approach to Healthy Cooking.

7. Healthier Instant Pot Coq au Vin. (30 minutes)

A recipe that calls for wine, count me in! This meal is one of my absolute favs. This one can be cooked in either the InstantPot or Slow-Cooker. Coq au Vin is the fancy French way of saying chicken braised in red wine. This is a genuinely delectable and substantial recipe, especially when ladled over creamy mashed potatoes. Don’t forget to pair it with some crusty bread to savor every drop of that flavorful red wine sauce—c’est magnifique!

Recipe: Healthier Instant Pot Coq au Vin.

🍁 With these easy quick fall meals up your sleeve, you can embrace the fall season without sacrificing precious time. In under 30 minutes, you can whip up some pretty scrumptious meals. So, whether you’re rushing home from work or juggling a busy family schedule, you can savor the delights of fall weeknight dinners without the hassle.