What to Cook in September (USA) — Early Fall Recipe Guide

# What to Cook in September (USA)

September is a transition month in the kitchen. Summer fruits and vegetables are still around, but early-fall produce begins to arrive. Treat this as a blending period: keep a few summer dishes in the rotation, and start bringing in heartier elements like apples, pears, squash, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.

What's in season this month

Short list you can rely on at the farmers market and grocery store:

• Apples and pears
• Figs and grapes
• Brussels sprouts and the first winter squash
• Sweet potatoes
• The tail end of tomatoes, corn, zucchini, and bell peppers

Use those ingredients as building blocks rather than following a strict seasonal switch.

Easy ways to use apples and pears

• Add pear to a braise to mellow spicy elements, for example in a pulled-pork style dish with gochujang.
• Keep quick snacks simple: apple slices with nut butter and a light maple drizzle.
• Pan pork chops with apples and onions for a one-pan weeknight dinner.
• Toss apples into salads (kale, chicken, and apple is a suggested combo) for texture and sweetness.

Brussels sprouts and early squash: roast them

The guide's practical rule for Brussels sprouts: don't overcook. Roasting yields the best texture and flavor.

• Roast Brussels sprouts with mustard and honey or with soy-balsamic glazes.
• Toss halved sprouts on a bed of Parmesan so crisp bits form in the pan.
• Pair roasted Brussels sprouts with sweet potatoes or butternut squash cubes.
• Use roasted butternut to make a lighter creamy pasta sauce by blending it with garlic and tossing with rigatoni and breadcrumbs.

First soups to stash in the freezer

When mornings cool, soups become worth making and freezing:

• High-protein butternut squash soup that's creamy without cream and freezes well in portions.
• Carrot-and-butternut soup for added sweetness and color.

A few portions in the freezer give you ready meals as the weather gets colder.

Slow cooker season restarts

September is often when the slow cooker comes back into use. Start with simple dump-and-go recipes:

• Slow cooker chicken tikka masala for tender chicken in a developed sauce with very little hands-on time.
• Pulled pork and other slow cooker mains are good for busy days and meal prep.

Slow cooking lets you use sturdier produce and tougher cuts while keeping hands-off convenience.

Fall baking that finally feels worth the oven

Baking moves back into rotation as temperatures drop. Recipes suggested include:

• Caramel apple cobbler using tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.
• Apple-quince crumble with a pecan topping for a mix of tart and floral notes.
• Pumpkin bread pudding with caramel sauce and pumpkin-banana muffins for using overripe fruit.

If you're warming the kitchen anyway, bake a dessert you'll enjoy for several days.

Quick ideas to stretch late-summer produce

Don't discard summer items yet. Use them alongside fall ingredients:

• Fresh tomato basil soup and elote pasta salad make use of late tomatoes and corn.
• Baked eggplant, bell pepper dishes, and zucchini breads are still relevant while they're good.

Plan meals that mix bright flavors with a few warming elements to ease the seasonal transition.

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