Hearty Fall Dinner Ideas: 62 Recipes For Savory Meals Without Chicken

If you’re tired of the usual chicken-based meals, you’re in the right place. These hearty fall dinner ideas for meals without chicken are perfect for when you crave something a little heartier or just… NOT chicken.

These savory fall dinner recipes are easy to make, packed with flavor, and ideal for weeknight family dinners or monthly meal plan ideas. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or yourself, these recipes bring all the fall comfort food vibes you crave.

A collage of hearty fall dinner ideas featuring meals without chicken, including creamy pasta, lasagna, beef stew, pork in cream sauce, stuffed acorn squash, and a skillet dish with squash.

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26 Hearty Beef Autumn Dinner Ideas

When it comes to fall comfort food, beef is a fantastic option for creating rich, satisfying meals that are full of flavor. Whether it’s slow-cooked in a stew or seared to perfection, beef dishes have a way of bringing warmth to the table on a crisp autumn night. 

These hearty beef dinner ideas are ideal for enjoying the essence of fall. From comforting classics to new family favorites, these recipes are sure to make your fall evenings extra special.

9 Delicious Fall Supper Ideas

If you’re looking to bring a touch of variety to your autumn dinner table, these delicious fall supper ideas feature seafood, lamb, and venison recipes that are sure to impress. Each of these options brings something unique to the table, from the delicate flavors of seafood to the rich, robust taste of lamb and venison. 

27 Cozy Fall Dinner Ideas With Pork

Pork is a versatile and flavorful option for creating cozy fall dinners that the whole family will love. From tender roasts to savory skillet meals, pork can be prepared in so many delicious ways. These pork dinner ideas are perfect for those cool evenings when you want something flavorful, satisfying, and easy to prepare.

Delicious Side Dish Ideas to Serve With Fall Meals

A hearty main course deserves an equally delicious side dish. Here are a few easy dinner recipes for side dishes that pair perfectly with fall suppers:

  • Roasted Vegetables: Use fall favorites like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Toss with seasonings and oil and roast at about 425°F on a sheet pan for 20-30 minutes. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and makes them an easy, delicious side.
  • Warm Grain Salad: A mix of quinoa, roasted root veggies, and a tangy vinaigrette makes for a perfect autumn-inspired side. Try some of the fall salads from my fall meatless meals recipe list.
  • Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are always a classic comfort food and pair well with almost any fall dinner recipe.
  • Crispy Baked Kale Chips: If you’re looking for something light and crunchy, baked kale chips are a quick and healthy option to serve alongside hearty dishes.
  • Buttery Herb Smashed Potatoes: These rustic potatoes are smashed and roasted with butter, garlic, and herbs for a comforting, crispy side.
  • Maple-Glazed Carrots: Sweet and savory, carrots glazed with maple syrup make the perfect accompaniment to any hearty fall dish.

More Simple Meal Inspiration

56 Delicious Crockpot Soups for Fall (Perfect Cozy Recipes for Crisp Days)

Simple Monthly Meal Planning (How To Make It Work For You)

Meals For November – A Hearty Menu of Cozy Dinner Ideas

Quick Food Prep Routine for a Week of Easier Meals

Struggling with meal planning? My Essential Meal Planning Printables are here to save you time, money, and sanity. Whether you’re planning meals for a week or a month, these pages are designed to fit your lifestyle. Say goodbye to wasted food and hello to easy, stress-free meal planning!

Image of "The Essential Meal Planning Printable Collection" showcasing various meal planning printables against a pink background with fireworks.

My Picks for Must-Have Fall Cooking Tools

I like to keep my cooking supply list pretty simple. But there are a few things that are either essential or nice to have, and here’s my list:

Crockpot – You probably already have one of these. But if your current model is small, you might want to pick up a larger slow cooker for making bigger batches of… well… everything. I have a 7-quart model, but I keep looking at this 10-quart version… because who doesn’t need room for more food?!

Heavy-duty sheet pans — great for roasting vegetables or entire sheet pan dinners in the oven. I use both half-size and quarter-size sheet pans.

*Note: I have linked to aluminum pans, which I use daily even though they are almost the only things in my kitchen that are not dishwasher-safe. I would prefer stainless pans that can go into the dishwasher, but I have yet to find any that are highly-rated and warp-free. I usually use parchment paper sheets. When roasting at high temps, I coat the pan with oil that has a high smoke point.

Sheet pan lids — LOVE these for thawing frozen items – then the lids can just go right into the dishwasher. They’re also great for covering a sheet pan and the universal size fits my different brands of half-size sheet pans.

Flexible cutting boards — Having several boards makes prep easy, and a ‘grippy’ back is a plus!

Knives — A good variety of knives is great for prepping ingredients, plus sometimes you can ‘cheat’ and run them through the dishwasher. I know you’re not supposed to, and I would never do it with expensive knives, but sometimes a less expensive knife set serves all of the necessary purposes and makes life a little easier.

Meat thermometer – Many of these recipes recommend checking the temperature of the meats after cooking.

Large mixing bowl with lid — I have two (one kept ‘pretty’ to use for parties and one everyday workhorse) — perfect for soaking beans overnight and all sorts of general kitchen needs. My large bowls are older-style Tupperware and I’m not even sure they make those anymore. If I were buying bowls today, I would get this stacking stainless steel set with lids.

Silicone mixing spatulas — I have 2 large size AND 2 medium size; I use at least 2-3 of them almost every day.

Food chopper — helps with chopping vegetables, eggs, or nuts if you’re not great with a knife.

With a little bit of creativity and a focus on hearty ingredients, you can make flavorful, satisfying poultry-free meals that everyone will love. Don’t be afraid to experiment with these dinner recipes – add your favorite flavors, mix and match ingredients, and truly make them your own.

As you enjoy these hearty fall dinner ideas, I hope they bring warmth and comfort to your family’s table! 


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Collage of hearty fall dinner ideas featuring various savory meals, including casseroles, stews, and baked dishes. Text overlay reads '62 Hearty Fall Dinner Ideas: No-Chicken Savory Dinners for Cool Weather.'

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