Fall Side Dishes

By Food & Wine
Updated August 30, 2016
Fall is all about butternut squash, sweet potatoes, earthy mushrooms and warming flavors like cinnamon and maple syrup. Whether you love roasted root veggies or peppery arugula salads, these side dishes are full of irresistible fall flavors. Here, 17 of our favorites recipes.
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Chipotle-Roasted Baby Carrots

Credit: Christina Holmes
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For this version of a stunning salad that Alex Stupak serves, baby carrots are roasted simply with smoky chipotles in adobo.

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Curry-Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas

Credit: © John Kernick
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This Indian twist on a dish of roasted butternut squash is super easy: After tossing the squash and chickpeas with curry and cayenne, Melissa Rubel roasts them, then drizzles the dish with a cooling cilantro-spiked yogurt sauce.

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Warm Mushroom Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Credit: © Anna Williams
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Oyster mushrooms are the ideal mushroom for this salad. To roast them, mix the mushrooms with a delicious garlic oil and save leftover oil for other uses.

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Cauliflower Gratin with Manchego and Almond Sauce

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This outrageously rich sauce, flavored with salty, nutty Manchego, gets poured on sautéed cauliflower and baked until it's golden and bubbling.

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Butternut Squash with Homemade Harissa

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Harissa, a garlicky North African chile sauce, is usually served with couscous and stews. The homemade harissa featured here is supersimple to prepare, and any extra will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, but jarred versions available at specialty markets make a fine substitute.

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Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Credit: © Petrina Tinslay
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Bacon and Brussels sprouts make a perfect fall pairing.

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Roasted Beets and Celery Root with Goat Butter

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Goat butter (sold at specialty-food stores; use regular butter if unavailable) is white, smooth and creamy. Chef Tyler Brown likes using it in this riff on the classic pairing of roasted beets and goat cheese.

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Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Credit: © Lucy Schaeffer
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This unbelievably simple side dish counters the slight bitterness of brussels sprouts with a sweet maple-syrup pan sauce.

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Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin

Credit: © Con Poulos
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This impressive fall side combines blanched chard and sautéed leeks, cooked until just tender in a creamy two-cheese sauce made with both Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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Squash Gratin with Poblanos & Cream

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Chef Julie Robles garnishes this vegetarian gratin garnished toasted pumpkin seeds to enhance the rich flavors of squash and poblanos.

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Turnip Casserole with Porcini Crumb Topping

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We love the earthy porcini topping on this rich and creamy turnip gratin, but it would also be fantastic on mac and cheese or other root vegetable gratin.

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Beet-and-Apple Salad

Credit: David Malosh
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For his salad, chef George Mendes uses fresh horseradish and Gegenbauer cider vinegar, a rare Austrian import. This version calls for jarred horseradish and supermarket apple-cider vinegar.

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Pearled Barley Salad with Apples, Pomegranate Seeds and Pine Nuts

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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This hearty salad combines thyme-scented barley with pomegranate, apple, and pine nuts.

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Creamy Mustard Greens with Fried Shallots

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Crisp fried shallots are a terrific contrast to creamy greens, especially when they’re stirred in and sprinkled on top.

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Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

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The leftovers of this veggie-packed side dish make a hearty lunch.

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Roasted Beets with Pistachios, Herbs and Orange

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Beets are a no-brainer for healthy meals since they taste great even when they’re simply roasted with a little oil. Naomi Pomeroy goes beyond that, topping red and golden beet slices with a lively mixed-herb dressing, pistachios and celery leaves.

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Sweet Potato and Mushroom Salad

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Combining savory miso with mustard and oil creates a delicious dressing that's especially good with these roasted sweet potatoes.

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