As the crisp air settles in and leaves transform into vibrant hues, October brings a bounty of seasonal ingredients perfect for warming, comforting dishes. This month not only invites cozy evenings but also features holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, providing ample opportunities for culinary creativity.
20 New Recipes We Can’t Wait to Make in October
From cozy soups to an easier-than-pie apple crumble, these are the new recipes helping us get into sweater weather mode.
Fall is officially here, and we’re embracing the slight chill in the air with warming soups, fragrant chicken dinners, and easy baking projects like an Apple Butter Crumble and Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding. We’re also making regional and international favorites like decadent Lowcountry Crab Rice, quick-cooking Japanese noodles, and shatteringly crisp Filipino egg rolls. Here are 20 new recipes from our test kitchen, Best New Chef alumni, and other contributors that you’ll want to add to your fall rotation.
Yakisoba (Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles)
A store-bought tonkatsu sauce adds instant flavor to this quick-cooking stir-fry from chef Takashi Yagihashi, which consists of ramen noodles, crunchy vegetables, and buttery rib-eye steak.
Italian Wedding Lasagna Soup
This cozy soup combines two comfort-food favorites. Italian sausage meatballs and broken lasagna noodles simmer in a rich broth bolstered with Parmesan and cream.
Apple Butter Crumble
This simple and warming dessert from 2023 Best New Chef Hannah Ziskin doubles down on apples with fresh apples and store-bought apple butter, all topped with a buttery streusel.
Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes
Make the most of end-of-season tomatoes with this simple recipe that calls for stuffing firm-yet-ripe tomatoes with garlicky croutons and Parmesan. They’re topped off with a balsamic drizzle and basil for an easy yet impressive appetizer.
Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
A hybrid of Japanese ramen and Italian tortellini en brodo, this warming soup from 2008 F&W Best New Chef Gerard Craft is packed with shredded chicken thighs that cook in a Parmesan-enhanced broth. Calabrian chiles add a sinus-clearing kick.
Creamed Corn Dip
Store-bought chive and onion cream cheese is a shortcut to quick flavor for this creamy dip made with sweet fresh corn and chopped chives.
Crab Rice
Whip up this rich and satisfying Lowcountry classic from chef Rotsoe Betskill, who combines Carolina Gold rice with jumbo lump crab meat and plenty of brown butter.
Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding
This luscious dessert makes use of both stale bread and leftover bananas, which are soaked in and layered with a decadent chocolate custard sauce.
Chicken Thighs with Lemony Sauce Vierge
2014 F&W Best New Chef Justin Yu roasts bone-in chicken thighs until they are golden brown, then serves them with tomatoes, red grapes, lemons, and a zesty herb sauce.
Creamy Farfalle with Broccoli Crumble
This weeknight pasta from 2019 F&W Best New Chef Misti Norris is tossed with an Alfredo-like sauce and topped with a broccoli crumble made with oven-roasted broccoli florets, stale bread, and fresh garlic.
Creamy Mushroom Tartlets
2001 F&W Best New Chef Wylie Dufresne lean on store-bought puff pastry that’s upgraded with a cream sherry-infused cashew spread and buttery shiitake mushrooms for these party-friendly tartlets.
Sweet Potato and Kale Soup
A whole Parmesan rind adds umami notes to this warming nutmeg-scented soup from 1995 F&W Best New Chefs Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison that’s brimming with sweet potatoes, Tuscan kale, and carrots.
Spanish Garlic Chicken
For this effortless skillet dinner, juicy bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks cook in a lemony, wine-forward pan sauce with garlic and pimento-stuffed manzanilla olives.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Meaty cremini mushrooms and earthy shiitake mushrooms are sautéed until deeply caramelized, then pureed with stock and heavy cream for this umami-packed soup.
Chickpea Salad with Chorizo and Red Peppers
This hearty salad from Rancho Gordo founder Steve Sando comes together in just 10 minutes with pre-soaked chickpeas, jarred roasted red bell peppers, and smoky Spanish chorizo dressed in a quick vinaigrette.
Pollo al Lambrusco (Red Wine Glazed Chicken with Onions and Grapes)
Add color to your table with the show-stopping roast chicken from chef Nick Dugan. It is glazed with a savory Lambrusco reduction and served with jammy stewed onions and grapes.
Lumpia
These crispy Filipino spring rolls — stuffed with juicy ground pork and a medley of vegetables — are perfect for dipping in a flavorful sauce of rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and scallions.
Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)
Dig into a simple, satisfying rice bowl from chef Aiko Cascio filled with crispy chicken thigh pieces flavored with dashi and soy sauce, custardy eggs, and tender onions.
Corn, Squash, and White Bean Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
We love an autumnal salad, especially this one from chef Crystal Wahpepah, which includes the “three sisters” of Native American cuisine: roasted butternut squash, fresh corn, and hearty tepary beans. A savory-sweet maple vinaigrette ties everything together.
Coffee Cake with Nigella Seed Streusel
Corn flour and Turkish coffee flavor this moist and complex cake from 2020 F&W Best New Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph. A crunchy nigella seed streusel adds warm savory notes.