It’s hard to pick favorites, but if we had to… September is definitely one of the best months of the year. It helps us say a leisurely goodbye to summer (there’s still some nights warm enough for grilling!), while also inviting in some of the best of the season to come (hi hello, pumpkin spice everything). Join us as we marry the last of summer with fall vibes, ingredients (apples! butternut squash!), and cooking methods (mm, casseroles). We’ve got 40 recipes to help inspire you to make dinner this September—one for every day of the month, and then some.
We’ve included a good mix of entirely new recipes, like our sushi bake, our copycat Steak ‘N Shake Frisco melt, or our , as well as some old classics, like our white chicken chili, our homemade falafel, and our perfect pot roast. Don’t want to say goodbye to summer just yet (or live somewhere where it’s grilling season year-round)? Make our Caprese chicken pasta salad, our butterflied grilled chicken drumsticks, or our to keep the good times going. Alternatively, have you been waiting for fall since May (relatable)? Our pumpkin sage gnocchi, our creamy apple bourbon chicken skillet, or our chili cheese sweet potato casserole are full of all the cozy vibes and flavors you’ve been craving.
We’re also taking inspiration from everything going on in September, like Labor Day, back to school, and the beginning of tailgate season. We’re all for experimenting, but we know that some school nights, you just need a dinner that works. We’ve tested and reworked our , our butter chicken, our pepper steak, and our broccoli cheddar soup to guarantee they’ll be dinner winners you can make again and again this fall.
Whether you’ll be cooking out of the back of your car in a parking lot or staying in your living room to “home-gate” this fall, check out our brown sugar BBQ chicken, our pull-apart cheeseburger sliders, our Big Mac quesadillas, or our chicken tamale pie to keep you feeling a little summery, while still getting you (and hopefully your team!) fired up for fall.
Pepper Steak
Broccoli haters—if your favorite steak stir-fry is always ruined by the inclusion of those little trees (sorry, ), then let us introduce you to your new favorite stir-fry.
Get the Pepper Steak recipe.
One-Pot Pepperoncini Chicken & Rice
Love our , but craving a little more flavor? In this rendition, deglazing your pan with the pickling liquid from pepperoncini gives creamy rice a zappy hit that leans more sweet than spicy.
Get the .
Creamy Apple Bourbon Chicken Skillet
Went apple picking, and now have a glut of fall's best fruit? Make this skillet dinner! The smoky and warm bourbon, zingy mustard, sharp cheddar, and heavy cream allow the apples and chicken to really pop off.
Get the Creamy Apple Bourbon Chicken Skillet recipe.
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Stuffed Banana Peppers
Love stuffed peppers, but want to switch things up? Try swapping bell peppers for sweet and mild banana peppers! Hot tip: Look for the straightest ones you can, so they're easier to stuff.
Get the Stuffed Banana Peppers recipe.
Brown Stew Chicken
Brown stew chicken might seem like a snooze of a name for a recipe, but don’t be fooled—Jamaica’s signature marvel of a dish offers a galaxy of flavors that explains its massive fan base on the island and among the country’s expats.
Get the Brown Stew Chicken recipe.
Sweet Corn Shrimp & Rice Skillet
Say goodbye to summer in style with this light and satisfying dinner featuring garlicky sautéed shrimp and rice, and a star of a sauce made with some of our favorite sunny, bright flavors: sweet bell peppers, nutty white miso, and earthy turmeric.
Get the .
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Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken
We all love good grilling recipes, especially grilled chicken, but as the weather turns to fall, we can't BBQ as often as we like. Luckily, this BBQ chicken is just as wonderful baked in your oven—it's the perfect dinner, no matter the weather!
Get the Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken recipe.
Butternut Squash Curry
This curry is a one-pot meal with ALL the carbs, vegetables, and creaminess you crave come September. Butternut squash is toothsome and savory, kale is earthy and green, and coconut milk wraps everything together in a creamy sauce. Yum!
Get the Butternut Squash Curry recipe.
Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Casserole
With roasted sweet potatoes and black bean chili layered together under a gooey blanket of cheese, this easy vegetarian weeknight dinner is both incredibly comforting and surprisingly hearty, perfect for the start of fall.
Get the Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Casserole recipe.
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Farro Salad
With pecans, Parm, green apples, and leafy arugula, this salad really feels like a full meal—AKA a fall make-ahead dream. It's got ALL the elements you need: sweet, salty, soft, crunchy, fatty, fresh, but feel free to make it your own with your preferred mix-ins too.
Get the Farro Salad recipe.
Mac & Cheese
In our book, the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe has to be extra creamy, plenty cheesy, and paired with a golden, crunchy topping. This one nails all three and is perfect for any occasion this fall, from family weeknight dinners to holiday spreads.
Get the .
Ratatouille Casserole
Ratatouille, a classic end of summer dish from the South of France that features our favorite late-season produce, takes on a new form in this beautiful spiraled casserole. Instead of cooking it on the stovetop, enjoy it right out of the oven (or bake it ahead of time to let the flavors mingle even more overnight in the fridge).
Get the Ratatouille Casserole recipe.
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White Chicken Chili
Adding white beans makes this heartier than your average chicken noodle soup, and the addition of green chiles, jalapeño, and sour cream add the perfect amount of heat and creaminess to switch up classic chili. Plus, everything comes together in less than an hour!
Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.
Pull-Apart Cheeseburger Sliders
Everyone loves little mini cheeseburgers, but have you ever made them? Flipping a dozen (or more) little patties is maddening. Enter: this brilliant little hack. Instead of forming each individual slider, we go pull-apart style. These are great for a weeknight tailgate all September long.
Get the Pull-Apart Cheeseburger Sliders recipe.
Chicken Tamale Pie
Our simple, flavor-packed cornbread provides the perfect base for the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, and melty cheese in this recipe. If you're looking for the coziest weeknight dinner this September, this has gotta be next on your list.
Get the Chicken Tamale Pie recipe.
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Vegan Meatloaf
This hearty "meat" loaf is made mostly out of chickpeas and baby bella mushrooms. We're in love! Serve it with a side of vegan mashed potatoes and green beans for the most comforting meal this September.
Get the Vegan Meatloaf recipe.
Deep Dish Pizza
Back-to-school pizza nights call for something special, and this deep dish version is jut the thing. Put all your favorites under the pizza sauce and dress it up however you like—pepperoni, mushrooms, olives? The sky's the limit.
Get the Deep Dish Pizza recipe.
Copycat Steak 'N Shake Frisco Melt
If the Steak 'n Shake classic sandwich—featuring two smash burgers, caramelized onions, and lots of melty cheese—is a staple for you, then our copycat recipe is about to become your new favorite lunch star this September.
Get the Copycat Steak 'N Shake Frisco Melt recipe.
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Pizza Pot Pie
Pizza + pot pie?! Honestly, we're surprised we didn't think of this sooner. It's truly the genius mash-up of your dreams.
Get the Pizza Pot Pie recipe.
Sauerbraten
This classic German dish is ideal for chilly nights, with rump roast slow-cooked in a warming combination of cider vinegar, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and, believe it or not, crushed gingersnap cookies.
Get the Sauerbraten recipe.
Camille Lowder
Digital Food Producer
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
