20 feel-good autumn dinners to get on your radar

From casseroles to cottage pies, there’s no lack of awesome meals to make the colder months a little more enjoyable. Here’s 20 amazing autumnal dishes to inspire the chef in all of us.

These are the meals that will make you feel incredible as the weather starts to cool down.

The creamy casseroles and hearty slow cooker stews that bring comfort, the soups and curries that are packed with seasonal ingredients, the easy-yet-impressive pies and quiches that always put a smile on your face and even some healthier meals that give you a little immunity boost before winter hits.

Beef a la mode.

Matt Preston’s slow cooker beef a la mode

“This is a reworking of a classic beef stew that’s been in my family since 1765 and was originally cooked over a fire... my beef a la mode. This 18th century beef stew can be made equally deliciously, but at home in a slow cooker.” - Matt Preston.

Slow cooker vegetarian lentil curry

The ultimate winter warmer dinner, this vegetarian slow cooker curry is healthy and packed full of good-for-you ingredients. It’s hearty and creamy, thanks to the lentils and coconut milk!

Pumpkin quiche.

Pumpkin spaghetti carbonara quiche

Sweet roasted pumpkin has been scooped out and loaded with a creamy, cheesy, bacon filling to make the ultimate quiche. Instead of the usual pastry, the roast pumpkin halves make delicious and nutritious edible bowls for this easy bacon pasta. You can even eat the skin!

Flu-fighter chicken and turmeric soup

Beat the winter sniffles with this hearty chicken soup packed with garlic, chilli, turmeric and sweet potato noodles.

Healthy fried rice.

Healthy fried rice with egg

Fried rice doesn’t have to be the greasy dish of your childhood. This healthier version is full of vegetables, low in calories and fat and vegetarian. It’s also so easy anyone could make it - cooking the omelette to roll up and slice is our favourite part! Looking for more fried rice inspiration? Try our popular easy fried rice recipe.

Vegetarian mushroom ragu

It looks like beef ragu, it tastes like beef ragu, but the best thing about this ragu is there is absolutely zero meat! We used our slow cooker beef ragu recipe base (which you can find at Coles) so it’s super quick and easy to prepare. Our top tip: allow all the liquid to reduce while cooking as it helps concentrate all the rich flavours together- it’s what ragu is famous for after all. And just like its meat equivalent, you can freeze this mushroom version, too.

Creamy Tuscan garlic prawns.

Creamy Tuscan garlic prawns

Dip some crusty bread into these creamy, Italian-inspired garlic prawns. Packed with flavour and ready in 20 minutes, add some chilli for a spicy arrabiata twist.

Roast lamb soup

Transform your roast dinner leftovers into this hearty soup! If you usually have clean plates after roast night, cook extra veg and meat, so you can easily whip up this hearty bowl midweek. Swap out the roast lamb for beef, if that’s what you have handy.

Broccoli cheddar rice bake.

Broccoli cheddar rice bake

Everyone loves the cheesy and creamy sauces that we find in so many of our comfort foods. However, so often we end up feeling a little sick after we over-indulge in our favourite dishes. While this cheesy bake may feel indulgent, it actually has a healthy twist!

Autumn Dijon chicken salad

With a tangy dijon dressing, bursts of sweetness from the pomegranate, roasted almonds and crisp sliced apple, this Autumn salad is packed full of flavour, texture and colour.

Creamy chicken, mushroom and leek pie.

Creamy chicken, mushroom and leek pie

Comfort food can’t get much better than the incredible flavours of this chicken, mushroom and leek pie.

Tikka pork & lentil curry

This mild curry is a great option for weeknight dinners as it’s ready to serve in just 30 minutes! It has delicious South Asian inspired flavours that the whole family will enjoy. What’s more, it’s super-easy to make as there are just 2 simple steps to follow. Enjoy it on its own or serve it with rice and naan for an authentic and tasty eating experience.

Creamy cauliflower and miso soup.

Creamy cauliflower and miso soup

This creamy cauliflower and miso soup is perfect for a cozy night in. This soup has a deep flavour profile - the creamy texture of the cauliflower blends with the umami taste of miso which is balanced out by the subtle sweetness of the apple and a hint of garlic. It’s super easy to make and can be served as a main course or a side dish. Plus, I love to roast any cauliflower leaves briefly (until they’re soft) and serve with those and the roasted florets on top.

Leftover cheese filo pie

Raid the fridge for cheddar cheese ends and half-finished wedges of brie! Our Leftover cheese pie is a melty, crispy, super-easy dinner idea. Any cheese goes, just make sure you’ve got a good balance of soft and hard cheeses.

West African chickpea curry.

West African slow cooker chickpea curry

This easy, hearty curry is packed with flavour thanks to ginger, garlic, chilli and loads of warming spices. Low-cal and high in dietary fibre, it’s a healthy vegetarian dinner we’d be happy to devour any night of the week.

Butter chicken stuffed capsicums

Everyone’s favourite curry has been stuffed and baked inside a capsicum- genius! By baking the curry, the tender chicken thigh pieces caramelise to perfection and soak up all the flavours of the rich, golden sauce.

Sour cream mash beef goulash cottage pies.

Sour cream mash beef goulash cottage pies

My childhood memories are full of delicious fluffy potato toppings and flavourful beef and vegie fillings. There’s only one meal that combines these two elements to create what can only be described as utter nostalgic perfection - the classic cottage pie.

Mexican chicken noodle soup

My two favourite comfort foods are Mexican beans and chicken noodle soup. They’re both aromatic, hearty meals that I always seem to turn to when feeling a little under the weather. The only problem I ever have is choosing between a noodly, brothy soup and a thick sauce filled with spices - perfect for serving on top of a crusty piece of bread. So, the logical next step was to combine the two… and so, this spiced, Mexican-inspired chicken noodle soup was born.

Japanese beef curry.

Japanese beef curry

The British introduced curry powder to Japan around 1900, where it was adapted to make this tasty curry and dishes like katsu. It is often made with store-bought curry roux, but here we make it from scratch, and it couldn’t be easier. It’s also a great way to cook with chuck steak which is a more budget cut of beef. The end result is a rich and creamy dish that works a treat in winter.

Pork sausages with caramelised apple and Brussels sprouts

This quick and easy one-pan sausage dinner is on the table in 35 minutes, perfect for weeknights.

For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.

Originally published as 20 feel-good autumn dinners to get on your radar