30 Comforting Recipes To Make This November If You, Like Me, Know That It's The Best Month For Cozy Cooking
It's officially November, and as much as my dwindling mental health and I dread the end of daylight saving time — enjoy these last few days of happiness while you can, folks — getting to spend time in my cozy kitchen cooking up all my go-to comfort dishes is the thing that gets me through.
From warming soups and stews to hands-off slow cooker dinners, and even some Thanksgiving-ready sides and desserts, here are 30 top-tier recipes to get you through every day of November.
1.Slow Cooker Chicken Pumpkin Curry
Give hangry Future You the dinner solution you'll need by tossing these ingredients into your slow cooker before work. To make things vegetarian-friendly, swap tofu or chickpeas in place of the chicken.
2.Caramelized Sweet Potato, Red Pepper, and Feta Frittata
This breakfast has all the fall flavors you're looking for first thing in the morning. Feed a crowd or prep at the beginning of the week so your mornings are set.
Recipe: Caramelized Sweet Potato, Red Pepper, and Feta Frittata
3.Roasted Garlic Tahini Carrot Dip
Warm spices and sweet carrots make this the perfect dip for hosting at the holidays. Served it with some crackers, crostini, or even use it as a dynamite sandwich spread if the spirit moves you.
Recipe: Roasted Garlic Tahini Carrot Dip
This soup is so comforting and creamy, it's honestly hard to tell it's vegan. Even if you're not a huge cauliflower fan, this one is a must-try for those chilly post-holiday evening.
Recipe: Curried Cauliflower Soup
If you, like seemingly everyone else in the world, have simply had it with banana bread, let me introduce you to persimmon bread. If you've never cooked with persimmons before, never fear; just make sure the subtly sweet fruits are squishy and ripe before you cook with them.
Recipe: Persimmon Bread
6.Kale Salad with Pecorino and Walnuts
True story: my manager recommended this fall-forward salad to me when I was in search of meals that are better on day two or three, and it's been a staple in my home ever since. Breadcrumbs are the new crouton.
7.Roasted Cauliflower Enchiladas
Cauliflower makes a surprisingly "meaty" filling in these crowd-pleasing enchiladas. They're best when you whip together the homemade sauce called for in this recipe, but if you opt for store-bought instead, we totally get it.
Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Enchiladas
Start your chilly fall morning off the right way with this seasonal coffee cake. To take things totally over the top, you can even add an extra cinnamon-sugar layer in the middle.
Recipe: Pumpkin Coffee Cake
9.One-Pot French Onion Soup Pasta
Cooking onions down until they're buttery-soft and jammy is never a bad idea, and while they're delicious in a hot bowl of French onion soup, they're even better in this true one-pot pasta.
Recipe: One-Pot French Onion Soup Pasta
Let this post serve as a reminder that your air fryer makes the best darn meatballs in all the land — no splattering, no turning, and no excess oil. Serve with some roasted (or air-fried) veggies, and dinner is solved.
Recipe: Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
The walnuts in this crisp topping add some extra toastiness that works wonderfully with the sweet and juicy pears. Make sure they’re not too ripe so they hold their shape when baked.
Recipe: Cinnamon Walnut Pear Crisp
There's no need for any mixology skills for this three-ingredient cocktail. It comes together in a flash, making it perfect for all your holiday gatherings.
Recipe: Cranberry Bourbon Fizz
13.Instant Pot Red Curry Lentils
Enjoy this warmly spiced dish for dinner, then eat the leftovers all week long; lentils are one of those foods that get better and better the longer they sit in the fridge.
Recipe: Instant Pot Red Curry Lentils
Regular garlic bread could never. If your holiday cooking preference is to not be surrounded by your friends and family in the kitchen as you cook, I urge you to place this molten skillet of dip in a room as far away from you as possible. (The crowds will hover until every last bite has disappeared.)
Recipe: Baked Garlic Bread Dip
15.Creamy Lemon Orzo With Chickpeas & Broccoli
Plant-based and packed with protein from the addition of chickpeas, this pasta is easy enough to make as a simple weeknight meal — with very little cleanup required.
16.Easiest Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
Don't scoff at the simplicity of this recipe; when it comes to Thanksgiving apps, minimal effort, maximum reward is key. And honestly, I don't think it gets any easier than combining tart cranberry sauce with cream cheese for dipping and spreading on your vessel of choice.
Recipe: Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
Hot take: Crisp brussels sprout slaw gives roasted brussels sprouts a run for their money. This slaw makes for a fresh and filling side on its own but can be turned into the main event with the addition of a protein of your choosing, like sliced rotisserie chicken or some flaky salmon.
Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Slaw
18.Overnight Pecan Pie French Toast
"Overnight" is the operative word here. Prep the dish the night before and you'll be rewarded with a no-stress breakfast that the whole family will enjoy.
Recipe: Overnight Pecan Pie French Toast
19.Sweet Potato Hash with Sausage and Eggs
If sweet breakfasts aren't your jam, this savory sweet potato hash is a one-pan wonder that's begging to be served for weekend brunch. To make it even more fall-forward, supplement the sweet potato with any other root vegetable you can get your hands on — like turnips or even radishes.
20.Butternut Squash Mac 'N' Cheese
Parents of picky eaters, this one's for you. Think of this straightforward weeknight meal as the ultimate hidden-veggie feast: your kids will be too busy devouring every single bite to realize they're eating an entire butternut squash.
Recipe: Butternut Squash Mac 'N' Cheese
21.Roasted Carrots in Honey Garlic Butter
If you're cooking up these sweet, caramelized carrots as a Thanksgiving side, make plenty. Honestly, make a double batch even if you're cooking 'em up as a side dish for any non-Thanksgiving dinner. (The honey garlic butter? Unmatched.)
22.Harvest Apple Mule Cocktails
This crowd-pleasing cocktail is fit for any holiday party, and they're just as easy to batch out as a BYOV (vodka, obviously) mocktail, too.
Recipe: Harvest Apple Mule Cocktails
For those moments when you just can't decide between pumpkin pie and cheesecake — for me, that's every cold weather holiday — pumpkin swirl cheesecake is here to save the day.
Recipe: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
While the sheer number of components in a Cobb salad usually makes for an overwhelming cooking process, you can make things a lot easier by making everything ahead and combining them just before serving.
Recipe: Fall Cobb Salad
25.Roasted Leek and Cauliflower Pasta
When your standard weeknight pasta just won't cut it, this veggie-packed dish should be the first recipe you turn to. Cauliflower lends substance and texture while creamy roasted leeks add subtle sweetness to each and every bite.
Yes, cider donuts are downright delectable at the orchard after a day of apple picking. But they're just as good (and shockingly easy) in the comfort of your own home — no driving required.
Recipe: Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Maybe you're having a two-person Thanksgiving this year. Or maybe you just want all the Thanksgiving vibes on a day that's not a national holiday. Either way, turn to this sheet pan meal for all the flavor with none of the stress.
Recipe: Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner
28.Pumpkin Lasagna Roll-Ups With Crispy Sage
Cuter, tastier, and a lot more forgiving than traditional lasagna, these pumpkin-filled lasagna roll-ups make a family-friendly dinner that's simple to prep the night before and toss into the oven when you're ready to serve.
29.Warm Apple and Almond Butter Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Maybe it's breakfast, or maybe it's dessert. I'm not sure which side I fall on, truth be told...but I do know this easy-assembly, just-sweet-enough dish is fit for basically any occasion.
30.Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos With Garlic Aioli
Serve these very substantial vegetarian tacos when the next meatless Monday rolls around, and anyone who eats them will thank you.
