14 Best Vegan Fall Recipes 2024: Get Warm And Cozy In Autumn

The fall has always been one of my favorite times of the year. The fall isn’t just about colorful leaves, pumpkins, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, though. As much as I love all of those things, the fall is also a time of harvest. 

Some of my favorite vegetables are harvested around fall, so it’s a great time to take advantage of the season and eat fresh, locally-grown gourds, pumpkins, squash, and more! Not only are these veggies super-healthy for you but they’re also incredibly delicious. 

In today’s post, I’ll be sharing some of the best vegan fall recipes that you can share with your friends and family or eat by yourself. Whether you’re looking for sweet, savory, or a little bit of both, I’ve got you covered! 

Taking Advantage Of Seasonal Fall Veggies

Even before colonization and the whole Thanksgiving tradition, the fall was always a time of harvest and plenty, for civilizations all around the world.

Agricultural countries would spend most of the spring and summer planting and raising their crops. The fall was the time of harvest when they finally got to reap the rewards of all of their hard labor. 

After the harvest, communities would often gather and share their food at a giant feast. Festivities would typically last for weeks, and there was usually a good bit of alcohol involved. 

While the name of the holiday season may have changed, the fall traditions are still alive and well! Some of the best seasonal fall veggies that are always fresh in the fall include: 

  • Pumpkins
  • Gourds
  • Carrots
  • Collard Greens
  • Butternut Squash 
  • Squash
  • Zucchini
  • Apples
  • Cabbage
  • Beets
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • … and more!

You may recognize many of these veggies from some of your favorite fall meals! Sweet potato casserole, roasted butternut squash, hot apple cider, and collard greens were all a regular part of my grandma’s cooking during the fall season.

Thanks to modern farming and international agriculture, you can get many of these veggies year-round. However, I like to support my local farmers and I always love being able to purchase organically-grown veggies when they’re fresh. 

So I try to take advantage of the season and stock up on all of my favorite fall staples. Plus, it gives me a great excuse to cook for my friends and family! 

The Best Vegan Fall Recipes To Share With Friends & Family

I hope you’re ready to eat because these are some seriously good eats. Last fall I had the opportunity to try a number of these recipes, and I’ve been experimenting with a couple of others leading up to this fall season, as I’m hosting a Friendsgiving at my house this year! 

I guarantee you’ll love these delicious vegan fall recipes

1) Fall Quinoa Spinach Salad

If you’re looking for something fresh, healthy, and filling, then this fall quinoa spinach salad makes for a great lunch or a dinner side. It starts with fresh quinoa, which is a healthier alternative to pasta.

Then, spinach, butternut squash, pecans, cranberries, and apples are added into the mix once the quinoa has cooled. 

I topped mine off with a bit of nutritional yeast and soy sauce to give it a flavorful umami taste, but it tastes delicious by itself as well! 

2) Vegan Stuffed Squash 

If you’re a fan of roasted butternut squash, then this is a great recipe to try this fall! It starts with a couple of large halved squash, which are then stuffed with beets, brown rice, cherries, almonds, and red pepper sauce before being baked in the oven. 

The squash is super filling and loaded with healthy vitamins and nutrients, while the rice provides you with some healthy (and satisfying) carbs. I also drizzled a bit of my favorite hot sauce on top, since I like my food spicy! 

3) Caramelized Onion Tart

This caramelized onion tart is actually a traditional German dish called “Zwiebelcucher.” If you hate onions, then definitely avoid this one. However, if you’re like me and you love onions, then this is the perfect blend of sweet and savory. 

It’s basically a crispy pie crust that’s filled with vegetable stew, chickpea flour, and caramelized onions. Then, the whole thing is topped off with delicious vegan cheese (which is really the only unhealthy thing in the whole dish). 

4) Butternut Squash Lentil Loaf

If you’re looking for a grain and gluten-free loaf that’s filling, delicious, and makes an excellent vegan side dish, then this organic loaf is an excellent choice. Oven-roasted butternut squash, lentils, oatmeal, and a mixture of celery, onion, and seasonings are mashed together into a type of dough. 

The dough is then baked in a bread-like dish that has a similar consistency to meatloaf. It’s incredibly healthy, very low in fat, and has very few carbs, so it’s an excellent whole plant-based meal. 

5) Vegan Autumn Lasagna

No matter what time of the year it is, lasagna is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s an especially big hit in the fall season, though. I assure you, though, that this lasagna is unlike any other vegan lasagna that I’ve tried before! 

It’s made using tofu ricotta and pumpkin cashew cream, two ingredients that I’d never cooked with before trying this meal. The result is incredible, though. You get to pair the taste of autumn with a cheesy, Italian classic, so it’s a win-win. 

6) Vegan Potato Bake

This vegan potato bake is a take on the famous French dish, potatoes au gratin. However, this vegan version doesn’t have any milk and is 100% dairy-free!

It starts with thinly-sliced potatoes, which are then layered with lentils, vegan cheese, garlic, onion, and a variety of seasonings. It’s warm, cheesy, gooey, and delicious! 

7) Vegan Stew & Dumplings 

When the weather starts to get cold, it’s the perfect time for stew and dumplings! This dish is made using potatoes, cannellini beans, celery, carrots, garlic, onion, and loaded with seasonings and spices. Although it does require a lot of ingredients, cooking the dish is pretty simple. 

You can spice the dish up by adding a savory umami sauce like coco aminos or soy sauce! 

8) Vegan Pumpkin Cake

If you love pumpkin pie, then this vegan pumpkin cake is the next best thing. It has the consistency and flavor of carrot cake, and it’s just sweet enough without being overly sweet and sugary.

My favorite part is the homemade vegan cream cheese icing. Just like real carrot cake, the icing is layered on the top and sides to create the perfect combination of savory and creamy with fresh and herbal. As usual, it also has pumpkin spice and cinnamon. 

9) Creamy Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

If you like cream of mushroom soup, then you’ll love this creamy vegan mushroom wild rice soup. The soup is thick, creamy, and savory. However, the wild rice mixture in the soup helps absorb some of the flavors and creates the perfect balance. 

The soup is excellent by itself. However, I baked some delicious vegan bread and dipped the toasted bread into the soup for a true French-style meal! 

10) Fall Harvest Salad

The fall harvest salad is perfect for anybody on a raw diet or those who are looking for a more “fresh” meal. It’s made using fresh beets, butternut squash, kale, apples, Brussel sprouts, pomegranate, and cranberries. 

You can top it off with your favorite vegan vinaigrette dressing or some light balsamic to give it a lightly savory twang. This dish makes for an excellent side to a vegan burger

11) Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

The slow cooker pumpkin pie oatmeal makes for the perfect fall breakfast meal. It’s essentially a warm oatmeal dish that has added pumpkin puree. However, this dish uses steel-cut oats which are soaked overnight, which increases their nutritional value. 

Optionally, you can pour fresh almond milk over your oats, to make them creamier. You can also season it with some cinnamon and nutmeg to make it taste more like pumpkin pie.

The only disadvantage of this meal is that you have to let the oats soak overnight. Outside of that, though, it’s an incredibly easy fall dish to cook and heats up in less than twenty minutes in a slow cooker. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can also cook them in a pot on low heat. 

12) Vegan Quinoa Chili 

Fall simply wouldn’t be fall without chili… The good news is that this quinoa chili is 100% meat-free. Instead, the dish uses lentils cooked in a savory sauce. The result is a texture and taste that’s remarkably similar to the ground beef that’s used in traditional stew recipes. 

Other than that, it’s the same old-fashioned stew that you’re used to. It has beans, fresh veggies, spicy seasoning, and vegetable broth. If you want to make it extra flavorful, you can add some of your favorite vegan shredded cheese or nutritional yeast flakes on top! 

13) Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup

This simple vegan soup recipe is one of my all-time favorite fall recipes. It’s hot, delicious, and light, so it makes for a great side. It’s made with pumpkin puree, red lentil, onion, garlic, parsley, and thyme.

The ingredients are all mixed together, and the final soup should be ready in under an hour. 

14) Pumpkin Banana “Nice” Cream

Dessert time is always the best time. So why not make your own homemade vegan ice cream? This simple, easy-to-make vegan treat is so simple yet so delicious that you won’t be able to resist. 

It’s a simple mixture of blended frozen banana, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, spices, almond milk, vanilla, and vegan chocolate chips. The mixture is then frozen for two hours before it’s ready to be consumed as a 100% plant-based dairy-free ice cream blend! 

The Verdict – What’s The Best Vegan Fall Recipe? 

If I had to choose the best vegan fall recipe, I’d say that the Stuffed Butternut Squash is my favorite. As far as dessert goes, the Pumpkin Banana Nice Cream is, by far, the best. I love how easy it is to cook and how yummy it tastes. 

I love making my own vegan ice cream. However, if you’re short on time and want something that’s already made, be sure to check out my list of the best vegan ice cream brands next

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Author Bio
Im Emma and I’m the creator of Vegan Calm. When I became a vegan seven years ago, I mainly did it for health and ethical reasons. To my surprise, it had another amazing benefit; I became a much calmer and peaceful person. This change inspired me to create Vegan Calm. Whether you’ve been a vegan for a long time or just want to learn more, this website will have something for you!

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