Vegetables to Eat and Cook This Autumn
As summer fades and the air turns crisp, farmers’ markets across the East Coast transform into a celebration of fall’s bounty. From hearty root vegetables to tender greens, the produce of autumn brings comforting flavors and nourishing depth to your table. Eating seasonally not only supports local growers, it also ensures you’re getting the freshest, most flavorful ingredients at their peak. Here’s a guide to some of the best vegetables in season during the fall months, along with a few ideas for how to enjoy them.
Root Vegetables: Earthy, Sweet, and Satisfying
Fall is prime time for root vegetables, which thrive in cooler temperatures and develop deeper sweetness after the first frost.
Carrots become sweeter in the fall and are perfect for roasting with herbs or pureeing into soup.
Beets add color and earthy flavor to salads and grain bowls. Try them roasted with goat cheese or shaved raw into slaws. Precooked beets save time and your fingers from being colored red! When handling beets it's best to have disposable rubber gloves on hand.
Turnips, parsnips, and rutabagas are less celebrated but just as delicious—especially when roasted until caramelized or mashed with butter for a comforting side dish.
Cooking tip: Toss root vegetables with olive oil, salt, and thyme, then roast at 400°F until golden and tender. The result is a dish that tastes like the essence of fall but takes almost no time to prep.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Nutty and Robust
The cooler weather brings out the best in cruciferous vegetables–”cruciferous” from a Latin word indicating the cross-style 4 petals of these plants’ flowers–because they giving them a subtle sweetness and tender texture.
Brussels sprouts are at their peak—try them roasted until crispy or shaved thin for a raw salad.
Broccoli and cauliflower thrive in the fall, perfect for gratins, soups, or simple sautés with garlic.
Cabbage is a cold-weather staple that keeps well and works beautifully in slaws, stir-fries, and braised dishes.
Cooking tip: High-heat roasting brings out a nutty flavor in these vegetables that steaming or boiling can’t match.
Bonus: Cruciferous vegetables are good for you, too–the health benefits include cancer-fighting agents and nutrients that support gut, heart, and metabolic health.
Squash: The Star of the Season
Few vegetables signal fall quite like winter squash. On the East Coast, you’ll find plenty of varieties—each with its own personality.
Butternut squash is versatile and easy to work with, ideal for salads, soups, risottos, or roasting. While more expensive, it’s a huge time and frustration saver to buy the already cubed squash. Pair with green apples in soups and salads.
Acorn squash makes a lovely edible bowl when halved, a small slice off the bottom to stabilize the bowl and filled with maple syrup, grains, or stuffing.
Delicata squash, with its tender skin, requires no peeling and roasts beautifully into sweet, caramelized rings.
Cooking tip: Roast cubes of squash and 5-7 minutes prior to the end of roasting coat the squash with maple syrup and a sprinkle of craisins on top and finish roasting. This can be used as a side dish or salad base that pairs well with roasted chicken or pork. My Simple Roasted Zucchini is also a staple in my kitchen!
Leafy Greens: Fresh and Nutrient-Rich
As the weather cools, leafy greens become more tender and less bitter.
Kale and collard greens are hearty fall staples that hold up well in soups, sautés, or even raw salads when massaged with olive oil.
Swiss chard adds color and flavor to pasta dishes and grain bowls.
Spinach thrives in early fall and is delicious wilted into omelets or added to creamy pasta sauces.
Cooking tip: A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar right before serving brightens the flavor of any cooked greens.
Alliums: The Unsung Heroes
No fall kitchen is complete without the aromatic backbone that onions, leeks, garlic, and shallots provide.
Leeks are especially lovely in autumn, lending a mild sweetness to soups and tarts.
Garlic and shallots add warmth and depth to roasted vegetables and sauces.
Cooking tip: Slowly caramelizing onions transforms them into a jammy, golden topping perfect for everything from hamburgers and mashed potatoes to flatbreads.
Bringing It All Together
Fall vegetables shine when cooked simply and seasoned generously. Think roasted trays of mixed produce, hearty soups simmering on the stove, and salads built around roasted squash or shredded Brussels sprouts. Shopping at your local farmers’ market or CSA ensures you’re getting vegetables grown close to home and that they’re fresh, nutrient-dense, and in sync with the season.
Whether you’re cooking a cozy weeknight dinner or hosting a harvest-inspired gathering, these fall vegetables bring warmth and comfort to the table, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the season.