There's no need to lament the end of summer. As the temperature drops and leaves fall from the trees, a wide variety of ingredients begin to reach their peak of freshness. For home chefs, fall fruits and seasonal ingredients mean delicious and fresh-tasting fall recipes.
Fall Dinner Recipes - Risotto with Seasonal Fruit
Harvested in late summer and early fall, pumpkin and squash peak as the weather cools down and the days begin to shorten. That’s why we love their sweet and earthy flavors for occasions such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, but have you ever thought about combining them with an Italian classic?
If not, now’s the time! And where better to begin than with this Rosemary Pumpkin Risotto Recipe? If you're already familiar with the comforting and creamy qualities of a risotto dish, just imagine the recipe elevated with some fresh and flavorful pumpkin.
So what are your options? Let’s find out. There are plenty of vibrant delights to dive into such as hearty risotto meals with fruit, elegant salads, mouthwatering desserts and more. Read on to make the most of this fall by adjusting your culinary repertoire to this tasty time of year.
Similarly, this Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe makes use of in-season fall fruits by letting fresh butternut squash blend with herbaceous hints of sage and the irresistible texture of Arborio rice. This is another reason why the end of summer is something we can celebrate!
Fall Salad Recipes
Pumpkin and squash needn’t be limited to our risotto dishes. With apricots, pecans and raisins, you can find out why this Rice Stuffed Mini Pumpkins with Dry Fruits and Pecans Recipe is a sure way to impress guests.
Did you know that cranberries are harvested from late September through November? This is when their vibrant red comes out and bolsters the deliciousness of dishes such as this Cranberry Pearl Couscous Salad Recipe.
Although popular all year round, autumn is the best season to eat fresh and ripe apples. Changing daylight and cooling temperatures makes them fall in abundance giving us the chance to use them in fresh and comforting meals such as this Chicken, Apple and Parsley Tri-Color Quinoa Salad.
But if there’s no quinoa in the kitchen cupboard, you can also opt for a Mint and Apple Brown Rice Salad Recipe, a dish bursting with sweet, zesty and savory flavors. Wondering what apples to use? Read on as we dive into the varieties available.
Fall Apple Varieties
There’s a wide variety of fall apples to choose from but here are some of our favorites:
- Gala: Sweet on the inside, crisp on the outside and ideal for snacks.
- Honeycrisp: Crunchy and juicy with a blend of sweet and sour.
- Granny Smith: Firm and tart, great for caramel apples and pies.
- Fuji: Delicious and crisp, great for cooking and snacking.
- Cortland: A good choice for salads and applesauce, with a mildly sour, delicate flesh.
- Jonagold: A sweet-tart hybrid that tastes well when fresh from the tree or used for applesauce.
- McIntosh: Sweet and delicate, used in baking and applesauce.
- Braeburn: Well-balanced flavor and a robust, versatile texture.
Fall Dessert Recipes
Now let’s dive into the delicious world of fall dessert recipes. This is where applesauce comes into the picture and makes an irresistibly sweet addition to dishes such as this Cinnamon Applesauce Pancake Recipe.
For a visually impressive dessert that’s elegant in appearance and satisfying on the tip of your tongue, get a taste of this White Chocolate Raspberry Rice Trifle Recipe. Fresh raspberries are the fall fruit bringing seasonal flavor to this culinary delight.
Other Lesser-known Fall Fruits: Guava, Kumquats, Passionfruit, and Quinces
Some other fall fruits worth considering are listed below. Try adding these to some of your recipes to see what unique flavors they bring.
Guava: A tropical autumn fruit with sweet and fragrant flesh.
Kumquat: Little, acidic citrus fruits that can be eaten whole.
Passionfruit: A fall fruit recognized for its aromatic and exotic flavor, passionfruit is ideal for juices and desserts.
Quince: Due to their acidity and natural pectin content, quinces are popular autumn fruits for producing jams and jellies.
Fall Vegetarian Recipes - Cooking for Sustainability
It’s not only fruit that ripens in abundance during fall, there are also plenty of fresh veggies to bring to the kitchen for recipes with extra freshness. That also means there are more possibilities for vegan and vegetarian recipes, a sure way to please those who prefer a meat-free diet.
So get the vegetables out and put together some meals for those who savor fall flavors with seasonal produce! What’s more is that doing so also allows us to get accustomed to cooking in a way that takes into account sustainability.
If you’re wondering what exactly to prepare, let us help you with our recipes.