What to Cook in October

What to Cook in October. October is that cozy, transitional month when summer’s heat is fading and hints of autumn are everywhere. The mornings are crisper, the leaves start turning, and there’s just something about October food: more warmth, more spice, more comfort. It’s the perfect time to shift from light summer meals to heartier, cozy dinners, soups, stews, and baked goods. Here’s what I’m cooking (and craving) in October and how to make the change feel easy and seasonal.

What to Cook in October🍽️🍂

🧑‍🍳Warm & Hearty Mains to Cook in October

Savory Pies & Hand Pies – Use leftover meat or roasted veggies to make pot pies or savory hand pies that flaky crust feels just right in October.

Soup and Chili Nights – Bring out your Dutch oven or slow cooker and make big batches of chili, chicken tortilla soup, or a vegetable soup. Great for leftovers all week.

Casseroles – Think layered dishes, such as lasagna, Cottage pie, or cheesy chicken. They’re comforting, filling, and often easy to assemble ahead of time.

Roasted Meat & Veggie Combos – Slow cook a chicken or pork loin with seasonal sides like root vegetables, Brussels sprouts, or sweet potatoes. One pan, minimal fuss.

Chicken Broccoli Puff Pastry Pot Pie

Chicken Broccoli Puff Pastry Pot Pie is creamy and cheesy, with a buttery, tender and flaky crust. This puff pastry dinner recipe is so easy!

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Chicken Pot Pie Quesadilla

Chicken Pot Pie Quesadilla is a fun twist on a Mexican quesadilla and chicken pot pie. This recipe is great for dinner or snack and will become a new favorite!

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OLD-FASHIONED HAM AND EGG PIE

This casserole has dice ham and boiled eggs in a creamy sauce with a biscuit topping

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Easy Baked Cheesy Chicken

Easy Baked Cheesy Chicken, meet your new favorite weeknight chicken dinner! It's easy to make and everyone loves it!

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First Place Chili

Hearty and spicy, First Place Chili is the perfect cold-weather dinner. It's a tasty, quick dinner that IS made in one pot with plenty of leftovers.

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Spicy Chipotle Chili

Smokey and spicy, this ground beef chili has it all – even some hidden vegetables! It has grated carrots, petite tomatoes, and diced peppers and onions.

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Southwest Creamy White Chicken Chili

In the post above, I have included alternative methods for cooking: stovetop (20 minutes), stovetop long version, slow cooker, and instant pot. I also give substitutions and tried to address any questions you may have.

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Chicken Burrito Casserole

Chicken Burrito Casserole is a quick and tasty dinner that the whole family will love. It's spicy, filling, easy to make, and budget-friendly, so it's sure to become a regular in your meal rotation.

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Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi

Indulge in the rich and comforting flavors of Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi! This easy-to-make dish features tender gnocchi in a luscious, creamy mushroom sauce. Perfect for a cozy dinner at home.

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🥕Seasonal Sides & Veggies

• Root Vegetables – Carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets—roast them with a little honey, thyme, or rosemary.
• Squash & Pumpkin Dishes – From roasted acorn or butternut squash to pumpkin mac & cheese, there are so many ways to use this seasonal bounty.
• Greens with Depth – Kale, Swiss chard, collards. Sauté with garlic and perhaps a splash of apple cider vinegar or bacon drippings for extra flavor.
• Grain Salads with Warm Toppings – Use farro, barley, or wild rice. Add roasted squash, apples, nuts, and a warm vinaigrette to tie things together.

Better Than Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole

Better Than Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole is an easy-to-follow recipe for a hashbrown casserole that rivals the beloved restaurant’s version.

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French Onion Noodle Soup

Indulge in the warm and comforting flavors of a classic French onion soup with this easy-to-follow recipe.

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Flavorful Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken, Butternut Squash, Brussels, and Carrots

This is a quick, healthy weeknight dinner that’s ideal if you meal prep. 

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SKINNY ROASTED PARMESAN SPAGHETTI SQUASH | CALL ME PMC

This is an easy, cheesy, low-carb, and delicious recipe that takes just minutes to get in the oven.

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Pumpkin-Shaped Cheeseball

Halloween cheeseballs are an easy, tasty snack that everyone at your party will love. They are flavorful, simple to make, and can be customized to suit your taste.

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Easy Wild Rice Pilaf

Easy Wild Rice Pilaf is a flavorful side dish that pairs well with many meals. The combination of rice and crunch creates a balanced and appealing dish. It’s simple to make and perfect for everyday dinners or special occasions.

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TOASTED PECAN BRIE BRUSSELS SPROUT BITES

Roasted Brussel Sprouts are topped with pecans, brie, and a sticky, sweet, and spicy glaze.

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Caesar Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Caesar Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe, a new twist on an old favorite, tastes simply amazing! This side dish is simple, light, and spectacularly delicious.

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🏈Sliders for Game Day or School Days to Cook in October

Caramelized Onion Sausage Dog Sliders

Each ingredient makes these sausage sliders special and add to the overall exquisite flavor. They're spicy, but not hot and slightly sweet from the caramelized onions and rolls. The flavor is just on point and hard to beat!

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Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

Philly Cheesecake Sliders combine creamy cheese, seasoned meat, and toasted buns for a quick and easy meal or party snack.

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Queso Chipotle Chicken Sliders

Queso Chipotle Chicken Sliders are a great way to combine bold flavors with simple ingredients. These sliders are perfect for game day, parties, or when you want a quick meal with a kick.

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French Onion Meatball Sliders

French Onion Meatball Sliders: savory meatballs, melty cheese, caramelized onions, and soft rolls for a delicious meal or appetizer.

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Smoked Sausage Jalapeno Sliders

These sliders are perfect when you want something quick and flavorful. They're great for meals, snacks, or gatherings.

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Baked Muffuletta Sliders

This New Orleans classic, Central Grocery Mini Muffuletta Sandwich, is full of meats, pickled vegetables, and olive salad. It's easy to assemble and easy to polish off.

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🍎🥧Sweet Treats & Desserts to Cook in October

Apple & Pear Desserts – Crisp, cobbler, upside-down cakes that are fragrant with cinnamon and perfect with vanilla ice cream.

Upside Down Pear Skillet Cake

Upside Down Maple Pear Walnut Skillet Cake has a deep, rich flavor. It’s a very moist cake packed with brown sugar and maple syrup.

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Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls (Sweet Rolls)

The best fluffy Cinnamon Rolls stuffed with an Apple Butter swirl. A fall favorite perfect for a holiday breakfast.

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Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmel

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal is subtly sweet and super quick to whip up the morning of or night before. This make-ahead breakfast dish tastes just as good the next day as it does straight from the oven.

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Amaretto Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake

Amaretto Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake recipe is an elevated take on an American classic. A moist pineapple upside-down cake joins a buttery pound cake for a spectacular dessert.

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Pumpkin Everything – Pumpkin loafs, muffins, pancakes, or a spiced pumpkin bundt cake. Bonus if you make your own pumpkin purée ahead of time.

Pecan Pumpkin Cobbler recipe

Self-saucing this cobbler is a family favorite dessert recipe! It's totally from scratch and doesn't contain Bisquick. Very easy to make, even for a beginner cook.

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Pumpkin Loaf with Cream Cheese Glaze

This sweet bread is a favorite recipe during the fall for us. It's so easy to make and with very little effort and can be dressed up with chocolate chips, nuts, or raisin.

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Baked Pumpkin Donuts

The next time you have a craving for a doughnut, skip the oil and try baking them! 

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Pecan & Caramel Desserts – Pecan pies, turtle brownies, caramel apples. The rich nutty flavors pair wonderfully with fall’s mellow light.

SOUTHERN PECAN PRALINE RECIPE

Creamy, crunchy, and sweet pecan pralines are very close to the perfect dessert in my opinion!

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PECAN COBBLER

This decadent Southern dessert recipe is super easy to make. The cobbler and sauce are created in one pan. The luscious, velvety texture makes the perfect bite…after bite…after bite!

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PMc’s Caramel Cobbler

PMc’s Caramel Cobbler has a decadent, self-made caramel sauce that is smooth and buttery and a crisp, fluffy top crust. A simple dessert with out-standing flavor. 

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Best Caramel Apple Cobbler

Best Caramel Apple Cobbler is a sweet taste of fall baked into a dessert. This recipe is comfort food at it’s best. Tart apples, sweet caramel, and warm cinnamon combined with a buttery crust is the quintessential recipe to make during the fall months.

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Bourbon Pecan Praline Pound Cake

Made with bourbon, buttermilk, brown sugar, and pecans, Bourbon Pecan Praline Pound Cake has deep notes of caramel is soft and moist. It has a nice caramel flavor from butter and brown sugar and crunch from pecans. 

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No-Bake & Quick Sweets – If you need something fast, try a fruit crisp with oat topping or skillet brownies. Small sweets go a long way.

No Bake Pecan Pie Dip with Cream Cheese

No Bake Pecan Pie Dip with Cream Cheese is a delightful and easy way to enjoy the flavors of pecan pie without turning on your oven. It’s perfect for parties, family gatherings, or just a sweet treat for yourself. With its creamy texture and nutty crunch, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone.

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Pecan Cream Pie

This Pecan Cream Pie is a creamy variation of traditional pecan pie! A buttery flakey crust filled with a crunchy pecan cream filling that’s sweetened with pure maple syrup, and a pecan cream cheese mixture filling. My holiday table is never complete without this pie!

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Cookie Butter Pie | Speculoos or Biscoff cookie butter

Creamy no-bake Cookie Butter Pie made with rich cookie spread and a simple crust. Chill and serve—easy and quick.

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🍳✨October Kitchen Tips

Along with what to cook in October, here are a few tips that I hope help.

• Batch & Freeze – Make big pots of soup, chili, or stew and freeze portions for busy weekday nights.
• Prep Veggies Ahead – Chop root vegetables or roast squash in advance so they’re ready to toss into meals.
• Warm Spices Slowly – Add cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, sage—these subtle warming spices layer beautifully as the coolness sets in.
• Layer Textures – Think creamy + crunchy + savory (for example, a creamy soup with croutons or a nut topping). It makes meals feel cozy and satisfying.

👕👖👟Shop in October

Shop my Amazon store for the latest fashion, kitchen, jewelry, holiday, and home finds.

🍂🍁Cook in October Conclusion

October is all about transitioning from light to cozy, from fresh summer produce to bold autumn flavors, from casual meals to comforting recipes you want to linger over. Keep your cooking simple and soul-filling this month.

More you’ll enjoy!

• What to Cook in September
• Cool & Easy No Bake Pies to Make Right Now
• BIG BEAUTIFUL CAKES
• Three Ingredient Fresh Peach Hand Pies
• Easy Healthy Pasta and Veggies
• CREAMY ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP RECIPE

Paula Jones is the founder, creator, and cook at CallMePMc.com, where she provides simple recipes & time-saving strategies for nutritious & delicious meals for your family. Born and raised in the South, Paula, or PMc as her friends call her, understands that many life events happen around the dinner table, & she wants you to enjoy that time in the kitchen & around the table stress-free with your family and friends. You’ll enjoy a variety of recipes at CallMePMc.com, from updated Southern classics, to practical, healthy, and indulgent. Learn more about Paula. Shop Paula’s favorites link on her Amazon storefront.