Our Favorite October Weeknight Dinner Recipes (2024)

A stir fry is our go-to weeknight dinner when we just don’t have the energy to spend a long time in the kitchen or hit the grocery store—this chicken version is no exception. Make it as is, or use it as a jumping-off point all October long.

Get the Chicken Stir-Fry recipe.

A classic nostalgic comfort dish, goulash is the hearty weeknight dinner we'll always crave. The best thing about it? Everything cooks together in one pot—even the pasta!

Get the Goulash recipe.

The idea of combining curry powder with sausage comes from a German fast food dish called currywurst, and it's equally delightful in this ketchup-free, creamy rendition. It adds a hit of flavor to the freshly roasted kielbasa, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and grapes.

Get the Autumn Kielbasa Sheet Pan Bake With Creamy Curry Dijon Sauce recipe.

We’re not sure when “Tuscan” became a flavor profile, but we’re definitely happy that it did, because garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan were meant to be together, especially when you add cheese tortellini. This spin is sure to be a regular on your October dinner rotation.

Get the Tuscan Tortellini Skillet Bake recipe.

Though vegetable soup is often just made up of random ingredients hanging around your fridge and pantry, it deserves to be exceptional. With a few tricks and tips (bouillon paste, a Parmesan rind, and frozen veggies are key!), it’s easy to take it from basic to “chef’s kiss.”

Get the Vegetable Soup recipe.

Instead of making homemade sweet potato gnocchi, this genius recipe puts the sweet potato right into a creamy sauce and uses store-bought gnocchi for the same exact flavors and textures. The result: an incredibly irresistible fall dinner ready in less than 20 minutes.

Get the Sweet Potato Maple Brown Butter Gnocchi recipe.

Filled with shrimp, sausage, and Cajun seasoning, hearty gumbo is the true melting-pot dish that will transport you straight to Louisiana after just one bite. It's also a top-notch comfort food stew that's perfect for keeping you feeling cozy and warm this fall.

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Imagine lasagna being turned inside out to form cute pockets stuffed with creamy, garlicky ricotta and cream cheese, which are then slathered in tomato sauce for an impressive dinner with friends or family. That’s the beauty of stuffed shells.

Get the Stuffed Shells recipe.

Attention, Sweetgreen lovers! Your regular weekday takeout lunch is not possible at home, any time of day. Loaded with roast chicken, sweet potato, and that signature balsamic vinaigrette, our copycat version of Sweetgreen’s beloved harvest bowl is perfection.

Get the Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl recipe.

Looking for something delicious that's only a little bit spooky this Halloween? Try these adorable raviolis filled with ricotta, Parmesan, and finely chopped pear. We made these from wonton wrappers, rather than pasta dough, to make them scary easy on you too. 😉 You're welcOoOme.

Get the Ghost Purse Ravioli recipe.

Rich, deeply flavorful, and downright decadent, French onion soup is the treat-yourself comfort food we’ll never tire of. Caramelized onions, a beefy broth, and the signature melty cheese and bread topping all transform what could be a simple soup into an enduring classic that's wonderful for fall.

Get the French Onion Soup recipe.

This skillet combines chicken thighs with apples and cranberries—the perfect duo of sweet and tangy for this fall dinner. Also, because we've already got Thanksgiving on the mind, this dish also has a tasty gravy to give holiday vibes without having to prepare a whole feast.

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Pizza night just got even easier. While you can absolutely use a store-bought dough for this recipe, feel free to try our homemade pizza dough too.

Get the Slow-Cooker Pizza recipe.

Feeling nostalgic for cabbage rolls, but want a quick dinner instead? Try a savory bowl of cabbage roll soup instead. It’s a hearty, warm bowl of comfort food that embraces all the goodness of cabbage rolls: ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and tons of green cabbage.

Get the Cabbage Roll Soup recipe.

This creamy, red-tinted spin on white chicken chili incorporates gochujang for a unique spin on the classic. Gochujang, an umami-packed Korean red chili paste gives lots of chili flavor without adding a ton of heat, meaning this can be enjoyed by everyone in the family (even the spice-averse).

Get the Creamy Gochujang White Chicken Chili recipe.

Here at Delish, we can’t get enough of Tuscan butter. For this recipe, we decided to skip the protein and turn this creamy tomato-and-basil sauce into a pasta dinner by adding one of our favorite power ingredients: gnocchi.

Get the Tuscan Butter Gnocchi recipe.

While we love classic tomato soup, we sometimes want to shake things up a bit when fall comes around. This soup gets an extra creamy dose, not only thanks to sweet pumpkin puree, but also with heavy cream and sharp Parmesan.

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One of our favorite comfort food recipes, this weeknight dinner combines two classics: and hearty vegetarian chili. This smoky, flavor-packed meal all comes together in one pot, and it's SUPER versatile.

Get the One-Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac recipe.

This Mexican-ized spin on spaghetti with red sauce is creamy and rich, plus a hint of smokiness from chipotle in adobo. Topped with homemade Parmesan-cilantro croutons, it doesn't get any more comforting than this.

Get the Chipotle Spaghetti recipe.

Not all sheet-pan dinners are created equal, and this pork chop recipe is proof. Sheet-pan pork chops with apples falls into the camp of excellence, packing in tons of caramelized flavor with a short-ingredient list onto just one pan.

Get the Sheet-Pan Pork Chops With Apples recipe.