30 Best Vegetarian Dinner Recipes for Autumn - Occasionally Eggs

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30 Best Vegetarian Dinner Recipes for Autumn

Published October 16, 2026

By Alexandra Daum

A collection of 30 vegetarian autumn dinner recipes. Featuring seasonal ingredients like pumpkin, hardy greens, apples, and root vegetables, this guide is great for anyone who likes to eat with the seasons or from their garden.

Woman's hands holding a bowl of curry.

Autumn Vegetarian Recipes

The author, a woman with long brown hair, smiling at the camera.

One of the best times of year for seasonal cooks, autumn can be a very exciting season – it’s harvest time, and there’s a lot to work with. You’ll find inspiration and ideas here for cooking with what’s available and at its best now, from meal salads and soups to curries, savoury pies, and pasta. If you’re a gardener, forager, or simply try to work with the seasons, you’ll find something good here.

This is a collection of of my best vegetarian dinner recipes for fall, using what’s best now. Featuring seasonal ingredients like pumpkin, hardy greens, apples, and root vegetables, this is perfect for anyone who likes to eat with the seasons or from their garden. All of the recipes included are vegetarian and dairy-free, and most are gluten-free and vegan.

I hope this can inspire you if you’re on a journey toward more seasonal cooking, or are transitioning to a more whole foods diet, or just need a few ideas for weeknight dinners this autumn. These recipes are easily adaptable and almost all of them can be ready in well under an hour from start to finish. Also see vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes.

Alexandra, handwritten.

I first published this collection in 2019. It’s been updated to reflect new recipes that have been added to Occasionally Eggs and to make it easier to navigate and more helpful to readers.

I don’t use affiliate links. Any links you see here are to other recipes or related information, not paid links.

All of my recipes include storage and freezing instructions.

Jump to:
Meal Salads and Grain Bowls (Warm Salads)
Main Dish Soups, Stews, and Curries
More Autumn Mains

Fall Salads for Weeknight Dinners

These are autumn salads that pack a real punch, with lentils, chickpeas, and grains. All apart from the pumpkin salad are full meals as is – we often add chickpeas or big white beans to that one to make it into a meal. Most of these are ready in about half an hour. These are real staple recipes for us and I hope they can be helpful to you too.

Roasted Carrot Salad with Tahini and Lentils

This easy roasted carrot salad is mixed with lentils, greens, & topped with a creamy dairy-free tahini dressing for an easy weeknight dinner great all year.

40

Serving plate with greens, roasted carrots, lentils, and a creamy sauce drizzled on top.

Wheat Berry Salad

Wheat berry salad with warmly spiced roasted pumpkin, beetroot, onions, and apples, and topped with a creamy tahini dressing.

45

Bowl of roasted vegetable salad with wheat berries and a creamy dressing.

Warm Roasted Vegetable Salad

This Moroccan-spiced roasted vegetable salad is packed with cold weather comfort foods, like butternut squash, apples, and pomegranate. Vegan, gluten free, and very easy, this is a great weeknight meal.

40

Moroccan spiced quinoa salad with butternut squash, red onion, and apples on pink platter.

Roasted Cauliflower Bowls

Vegan cauliflower bowls with pumpkin, garlic, bulgur, and herbs. This seasonal weeknight meal is autumn in a bowl, using all local ingredients.

40

A bowl filled with salad, roasted vegetables, and bulgur.

Moroccan Carrot Quinoa Salad

A simple 15 minute Moroccan carrot salad with quinoa and chickpeas for busy days. Healthy, vegan, and ideal for packed lunches or a quick dinner. Dates, lemon, and parsley round out this filling salad.

25

Two bowls of quinoa salad with two glasses of water.

Chickpea, Quinoa, and Sweet Potato Bowls

Make-ahead vegan sweet potato bowls with high protein chickpeas, quinoa, and greens. Make this and have lunch prepared for three days.

40

A roasted sweet potato bowl with quinoa, chickpeas, and greens.

Pumpkin Salad

This vegan pumpkin salad is packed with seasonal veg like beets and radishes, then topped with a gorgeous creamy tahini dressing – autumn in a bowl.

40

Woman's hands holding the large bowl of salad.

Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potato Lentil Bowls

This vegan lentil bowl is filled with seasonal goodness – roasted broccoli, sweet potato, and onion, with a lemony roasted garlic dressing.

40

A broccoli and sweet potato lentil bowl with pomegranate seeds.

Autumn Soups, Stews, and Curries

Autumn is really soup season, and the produce available at this time of year lends itself well to soups, stews, and curries. These are all meal-appropriate so you don’t need to cook more than you’re seeing here. They’re great one-pot meals that make for good leftovers, too. Every recipe includes storage and freezing instructions.

Rice, Lentil, and Butternut Squash Soup

A cozy vegan lentil and butternut squash soup with rice cooked into the broth, alongside tomatoes, spinach, and warming spices.

50

Rice and lentil soup in a bowl with a spoon.

Pumpkin Red Lentil Curry

A flavour packed and hearty meal, this pumpkin red lentil curry uses creamy coconut milk and no tomatoes for a simple, high-protein main.

50

Two bowls with a thick lentil curry topped with parsley.

Vegan Chili

A hearty, satisfying meal, this vegan chili is packed with meaty mushrooms, pinto beans, and smoky spices. It's simple to make and delicious.

1

Bowls of chili topped with avocado and red onion, with buns beside.

Red Lentil Curry

A simple but very flavourful dinner, this red lentil curry features slowly cooked carrots and onions, red lentils, and creamy coconut milk.

55

A bowl of orange curry with herbs on top, pot of curry beside.

Moroccan Spiced Carrot Chickpea Stew

A simple, pantry led Moroccan spiced carrot stew, with only five basic ingredients plus spices. Really easy and delicious, it's a perfect weeknight option.

45

Two bowls of carrot chickpea stew with greens and pomegranate.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Vegetarian split pea soup, a meatless version of this hearty favourite. A hint of smoked paprika adds depth to this thick, wholesome soup. Note that the peas need to be soaked before starting the soup.

3 10

Bowls of pea soup with vegetables on a large wooden cutting board.

Carrot, Red Lentil, & Spinach Soup

Vegan red lentil soup with carrots, lentils, and a tomato base. This simple soup is a weeknight staple and can be made with common pantry items like canned tomatoes, frozen spinach, and dried red lentils. It takes about half an hour from start to finish and freezes well.

35

A bowl of soup with carrots, spinach, and lentils with rice.

Lentil Mushroom Curry

A little creamy and with lots of warming spices, this vegan lentil mushroom curry makes a great hearty dinner with some rice or a flatbread like naan.

1

Vegetable curry in two small bowls with yogurt and parsley, pot of curry in the corner.

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

An easy butternut squash and chickpea curry made with tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, cooked or canned chickpeas, and seasonal vegetables.

45

Top-down view of a winter squash curry in bowls with rice.

Roasted Parsnip Soup

A flavourful and filling roasted parsnip soup with potatoes and white beans for extra heft and creaminess. This is a delicious, simple soup.

50

A bowl of creamy parsnip soup with bread and herbs.

Chickpea Pumpkin Curry

A vegan chickpea pumpkin curry for a simple, seasonal autumn meal. Served with naan or brown rice, it's a budget friendly, filling, and healthy dinner that freezes well.

40

Bowls of pumpkin curry with naan and small pumpkins around.

One-Pot Three Bean Chili

An easy three bean chili, this vegan or vegetarian chili recipe comes together in a few minutes plus half an hour of hands-off cooking time.

1

A bowl of bean chili topped with pickled onions, avocado, and herbs.

More Autumnal Mains

These are the rest of the autumn dinner recipes that aren’t soups or salads – patties, pies, pasta, and more. All use seasonal ingredients and some are more time consuming than others, but if you’re seeing a longer time listed here it’s usually hands-off (the falafel need an hour to chill, for example, and the mac and cheese can be made with pumpkin puree).

This section is a bit of a mixture of weeknight and weekend dinners, with some fancier meals mixed in. I think vegetarian food can sometimes get stuck in a stew/curry rut and these are a great way to break out of that habit and try something different.

Baked Pumpkin Falafel

Vegan pumpkin falafel, baked not fried, with extra warming spices. The pumpkin adds sweetness and keeps these baked falafel from drying out.

1 45

Close up of several orange falafel on a pink tray.

Vegan Mushroom and Pumpkin Shepherd’s Pie

This vegan shepherd's pie is a modern, plant based version of the classic with a rich mushroom and lentil base, topped with creamy mashed potato and pumpkin. It's total cold weather comfort food.

1 15

A bowl of shepherd's pie topped with some fresh sage.

Roasted Vegetable Pie with Puff Pastry

A roasted vegetable pie, made extra easy with (vegan) puff pastry is a great holiday main dish! With pumpkin, cauliflower, and parsnip, it's a seasonal dish that can be made any day of the week.

1

Plates with pieces of puff pastry pie on them.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This vegan butternut squash mac and cheese is an easy, healthier version of the classic. With roasted winter squash and protein-packed hummus to add a cheesy flavour and colour, no nutritional yeast or cashews needed!

55

Butternut squash mac and cheese in a bowl.

Sweet Potato Burgers

Easy vegan sweet potato burgers, with chickpeas, rice, breadcrumbs, and herbs and spices. These solid baked burgers are ready in no time with leftover sweet potato and cooked rice.

55

Woman's hands holding a veggie burger with green vegetable toppings.

Mushroom Pot Pie

A fantastic vegetarian main, this mushroom pot pie is made with store-bought puff pastry and a delicious savoury mixed mushroom filling. Note that the filling should be cooled before adding the pastry and baking, so allow yourself enough time in advance for that.

55

Mushroom pot pie with a serving on a separate plate.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Cottage Pie

A veg-packed alternative, vegetarian sweet potato cottage pie is made with a savoury filling of mushrooms, lentils, herbs, and rich red wine.

1 5

A lentil pie topped with sweet potato mash, one serving removed from the baking dish.

Mushroom Stroganoff

Deliciously creamy, flavoured with mustard and white wine sauce, this mushroom stroganoff is a vegetarian version of the classic. Serve with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

40

Pasta with mushroom sauce on two plates with salad beside.

Tabbouleh and Crispy Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Vegan stuffed sweet potatoes – these are filled with an easy bulgur tabbouleh, hummus, baba ghanoush, crispy chickpeas, and pomegranate.

50

Chickpea, bulgur, and greens stuffed into roasted sweet potato.

Biscuit Topped Vegetarian Pot Pie

A delicious way to combine vegetables and biscuits in one, this savoury biscuit topped vegetarian pot pie makes for a hearty vegan dinner.

1 35

Biscuit-topped vegetable pie in a rectangular baking dish, one scoop removed.

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About Alexandra Daum

Alexandra Daum is a professional recipe developer, food photographer, and cookbook author. She started sharing carefully tested vegetarian recipes in 2014 and has since published hundreds of recipes with seasonal ingredients and whole grains as the focus. Her work has been featured on CTV, in House & Home and Chatelaine, on popular websites like Buzzfeed and Best Health, and in countless other publications.

The author, a woman with long brown hair, smiling at the camera.

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