October is one of the best months of the year. There’s a slight chill in the air—brisk but not blustery—and the trees quickly go from verdant green to scarlet red and golden yellow. It’s one of my favorite times to get outside and catch the remaining days of warm weather. On the produce front, I’m also anticipating a spectacular change of scenery: chunky squash, warming spices, and plenty of cozy cocktails. Our editors are embracing the spirit of soup and stew season just like I am, and also looking forward to saucy, hearty, and herby baked eggs, comforting sheet-pan chicken dinners, and lots of seasonal baked goods. Plus, we’re unabashedly sharing our love for pumpkin-spiced everything, whether it’s brown butter bread or streusel-topped muffins. Below, you’ll find 12 recipes our editors can’t wait to make this month.
01 of 12
Serious Eats / Niedle Creative
“I don’t cook with a lot of dairy at home, but when I do, it’s for something I simply cannot resist. This recipe is just that for me; the bechamel with a hint of nutmeg, the warmly spiced meat, and the blistered cheese topping have been stuck in my head since this recipe was first published. I’ll be pairing with a nice glass of Pinot Noir (and some Lactaid).” —Ashlee Redger, writer
Get Recipe: Macarona Forn
02 of 12
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
“I love everything about summer, but the one thing that makes me excited for fall is baking warm pumpkin bread. The knife stays on the plate all day, and pieces get carved off little by little until there’s hardly a crumb left. It feels like the first real comfort of the season.” —Sadie Schulte, newsletter and notifications editor
Get Recipe: Pumpkin Bread With Salted Brown Butter Glaze
03 of 12
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
“I wasn’t at the photoshoot when Jess made her Chinese barbecue eggplant, but the way the rest of the staff raved about it, I sure wish I had been. Eggplant season is tapering off in the Northeast, but there’s still time to take advantage of the summer crop, so this is absolutely on my to-cook list before we’re fully into pumpkins, sprouts, and kale.” —Daniel Gritzer, editorial director
Get Recipe: Chinese Barbecue Eggplant
04 of 12
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
“I can’t wait to make Laila’s sheet-pan version of musakhan, a traditional Palestinian dish of roasted chicken, taboon bread, and onions softened in olive oil—all generously dusted with sumac. Here, the potatoes replace the bread and roast alongside the chicken. It sounds hearty and comforting, which is exactly what I want.” —Genevieve Yam, senior editor
Get Recipe: Musakhan (Palestinian Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes)
05 of 12
“Fall is a busy time for me, both at work and socially, and I also want to spend as much time as I can outside after the heat of summer and before the chill of winter. That means I don’t want to spend a ton of time cooking, but I also still want delicious meals. So I plan to lean into healthy, hearty meals with few ingredients, like this quick broccoli and chickpea salad from Leah.” —Megan O. Steintrager, associate editorial director
Get Recipe: Broccoli Chickpea Salad
06 of 12
“I grew up enjoying this classic Chinese preparation of lettuce, where it’s blanched, then served with a glossy mixture of oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and a pinch of sugar. It’s so simple and takes just about 10 minutes to whip up—and is absolutely delicious with a bowl of rice.” —Genevieve
Get Recipe: Chinese Lettuce With Oyster Sauce
07 of 12
“A faster, easier way to make restaurant-quality pita? Yes, please. I’ll admit—I’ve already made this recipe once, and I loved that I didn’t need to crank up the oven or wrestle with a baking stone to get fluffy, warm pita. Yet another reason (on a very long list) why I love my air fryer.” —Kelli Solomon, senior social media editor
Get Recipe: Air-Fryer Pita
08 of 12
Serious Eats / Anh Nguyen
“It’s still short weather where I live, but that’s not stopping me from picking up pumpkins to decorate my front stoop and breaking out the Halloween decoration bins. In the words of every basic autumnal Instagram post: It’s fall, y’all. And fall means soup (or in this case, stew) season. I might sweat through making and eating this hearty Spanish stew for dinner, but when I pair it with a glass of tempranillo, it’ll totally be worth it.” —Grace Kelly, senior editor
Get Recipe: Spanish Beef Stew
09 of 12
Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja
“I’m always looking for fresh ways to make eggs exciting, and Nermine’s Egyptian egga is at the top of my list. Her hearty, herb-packed baked egg dish works just as well as a centerpiece for brunch as it does sliced up for easy meals throughout the week.” —Leah Colins, senior culinary editor
Get Recipe: Egga (Egyptian Egg Casserole with Onions and Herbs)
10 of 12
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
“Cucumbers are still at the farmers market, and I plan to use my haul to make hashweh with seared cucumbers. Hashweh is a spiced rice-and-lamb pilaf often used to stuff vegetables in the Levant, but here the rice is warmly spiced and topped with cucumbers seared in plenty of nutty, toasty ghee until they’re succulent and deeply flavorful.” —Laila Ibrahim, associate culinary editor
Get Recipe: Hashweh and Cooked Cucumbers
11 of 12
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
“I quite literally wait all year to make these super tender muffins. The streusel topping is the best part, and I highly recommend doubling it and adding more to your muffins!” —Rochelle Bilow, editor
Get Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins
12 of 12
“The only thing better than scooping into silky, tender squash? Finding a luscious custard tucked inside a rich, savory kabocha. My friend Ali makes an incredible version, but this year, I’m determined to try it myself at home.” —Jess Eng, associate editor
Get Recipe: Sangkaya Faktong (Thai Kabocha Pumpkin Custard)
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