18 5-Ingredient Dinners to Make This Fall

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End your day with plenty of fall flavor by trying these delicious dinner recipes! Each meal features seasonal produce like squash, cauliflower and broccoli. Plus, with no more than five ingredients, these dishes are simple to prepare. Try options like our Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Halloumi or our Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms for an easy meal perfect for autumn. 



01 of 18

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto
Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD

While the cauliflower gnocchi crisp up in a sauté pan, steam fresh asparagus in the microwave to keep it bright green and crisp-tender. Substitute frozen asparagus (or green beans or peas) in a pinch. Toss them together with prepared basil pesto for a satisfying supper.

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Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Halloumi

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Take advantage of healthy convenience foods, such as pureed vegetable soups, to make a healthy meal in minutes. We enhance the flavor of boxed butternut squash soup with curry powder, then top it with irresistible halloumi cheese. Serve with warm whole-grain pita bread.

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Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers' market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

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Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl

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This high-fiber vegetarian grain bowl is packed with colorful veggies and plant-based protein to keep you feeling energized and satisfied.

05 of 18

Chicken Tinga Baked Pasta

Chicken Tinga Baked Pasta
Jacob Fox

This spicy baked pasta features leftover chicken tinga, a dish hailing from Puebla, Mexico. The rich tomato-chipotle sauce adds heat and creaminess to the dish.

06 of 18

Asparagus & Potato Rösti

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Preshredded potatoes for the rösti are the key to making this crisp pancake quickly. Top with fried eggs and a salad and it becomes a meal.

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White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

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Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing, low angle on a plate

Ali Redmond

Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient meal for one!

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French Onion Grilled Cheese

French Onion Grilled Cheese on a whit plate for serving
Elizabeth Laseter

One of our favorite comfort foods—French onion soup—meets crowd-pleasing grilled cheese in a sandwich with the flavors of both dishes, minus a lot of the traditional sodium and saturated fat. Caramelized onions are the star here: their pungent, concentrated flavor means that just a touch of Gruyère is more than enough to make this sandwich sing. The other key? Shaving the cheese with a microplane, which allows the cheese to distribute its melty goodness evenly, and makes just a bit of cheese feel like a lot.

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3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad

3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.

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Ancho Chile Quesadillas

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Rehydrated dry chiles often have more intense and multidimensional flavors than fresh. In this simple quesadilla recipe, mildly spicy ancho chiles (dried poblanos) and nutty Gruyère cheese melt together for an easy snack or quick dinner. Find anchos in well-stocked supermarkets, at Mexican grocers or online.

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Meal-Prep Curried Chicken Bowls

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Curry doesn't have to take hours to prepare. With the help of our sheet-pan meal-prep chicken (see associated recipe) and some cooked whole grains, you can make these meal-prep bowls in just a few minutes! Keep them in the fridge for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or for healthy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

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Chicken Curry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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Use convenience ingredients, like cooked chicken (leftover or purchased) and store-bought curry sauce to whip up these easy loaded baked potatoes. We call for cauliflower in this recipe, but feel free to sub in whatever veggies you have on hand for a quick and easy dinner. You can also swap the sweet potatoes for russets.

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Chipotle Ranch Chicken Casserole

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Simplify weeknight dinnertime by transforming leftover slow-cooked chicken (see associated recipe, below) into an easy, cheesy casserole.

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Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

Egg Drop Soup with Instant Noodles, Spinach & Scallions

Whisking a beaten egg into simmering broth is a quick and easy way to add creaminess and protein to noodle soup mix. Add freshness with a handful of baby spinach at the end. This recipe can easily be doubled to serve two and use the whole package of noodles. To cut back on sodium, look for noodle varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.

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Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & Onions

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These 15-minute quesadillas are a notch above basic with the addition of sautéed peppers and onions. Let the kiddos load them up with the toppings at the table.

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Tikka Masala Stuffed Peppers

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We have swapped the typical filling of ground beef and rice for a filling made with Indian-spiced chicken and rice in this stuffed bell pepper recipe. The chicken tikka masala used for the filling is quick to make, thanks to the use of a multicooker, like the Instant Pot. Want to make these ahead? Make an double batch of the tikka masala on a meal-prep day and freeze half to use later in this delicious healthy dinner.

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BBQ Baked Potatoes with Pork & Broccoli

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Use leftover cooked pork to whip together these easy BBQ pork baked potatoes. Add steamed broccoli and Cheddar cheese to round out this easy healthy dinner.

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