15 Fast and Fresh Dinner Ideas That Will Be Your Fall Go-Tos

This technique cooks salmon perfectly every time. The sauce is flavorful and rich, but not heavy–just right for a weeknight.

Roasted vegetables are just what we crave in cooler weather. For a next-level dinner, San Francisco recipe developer Julia Lee spoons them over creamy polenta with a lemony salsa verde. If you’re not familiar with broccoli romanesco (sometimes simply called “romanesco”), it’s related to cauliflower but looks far more exotic, with its chartreuse color and dense spirals—and tastes milder and sweeter. Look for it at grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

Take advantage of butternut squash with this recipe. A rustic-luxe dish is shot through with the essence of saffron.

This healthy spinach mushroom pasta dish is a popular choice for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. Hearty whole-wheat pasta is quite filling, and a full pound of sliced mushrooms makes this dinner truly satisfying. 

Mu shu pork is said to have its origins in northern China. In this version, chef Brandon Jew eliminates the pork and adds wild mushrooms, though it will still be delicious with store-bought creminis or other fresh mushrooms. Wood-ear mushrooms are a more traditional ingredient but are optional. Look for mu shu pancakes at Asian markets. Feel free to substitute 6-inch flour tortillas.

While this dish may seem simple, it represents the Chez Panisse style of making something simple as well as possible. “This kind of ‘chicken salad’ of sorts can change with the seasons,” says Lulu chef David Tanis. “The base recipe is a grilled chicken breast, salad greens, and a seasonal vegetable garnish.”

In one of our favorite weeknight meals, kasha and a poached egg rev up greens and smoky pork. The recipe comes from Sandy Sonnenfelt, prepared-foods director at Market Hall Foods and its flagship store, The Pasta Shop in Oakland.

Inspired by the Philippine national dish, this Easy Chicken Adobo uses a simple blend of garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce to give chicken a zingy boost. Traditional adobo sauces are commonly enriched with coconut milk, and the dish is frequently made with pork. But for everyday cooking, we like this lighter, simpler chicken recipe. Serve with rice. This is the perfect dinner for spicing up your usual routine.

For pho, the Vietnamese soup now found all over the West, a rich-tasting broth is crucial. But how do you produce one quickly? The answer: Simmer whole pieces of chicken in chicken broth. Leftover poached meat can be mixed with mayonnaise, chopped celery, and a pinch of curry powder for chicken salad.

This simple penne pasta dish features pancetta, diced tomatoes, red chile flakes, and parmesan cheese.

Most varieties of eggplant work beautifully in this stir-fry. A side of rice is a must.

Making enchiladas the traditional way—filling each tortilla and rolling it up—is a bit of a project for a weeknight. This quicker version brings enchiladas to the table faster with no loss of flavor.

Cooking with store-bought cubed squash saves time on weeknights. You can sub in almonds or walnuts for the pistachios.

The iconic street food takes on a new identity in this dish, in which seasoned falafel mix becomes a crunchy coating for fish.

This bright dish comes together fast. Serve with steamed rice if you like.