Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      One has conquered the world of plant-based baking. Another runs a microbakery from her home. Two own businesses with their spouses. And the fifth is a James Beard finalist chef. The common thread? Absolutely delicious cakes. Read More
    • The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      For many Midwesterners, holiday feasting kicks off with a relish tray. We dare not mess with an icon—at least, not too much. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    At Wisconsin supper clubs, the steak is served rare and the traditions are well done. Like the brandy in an Old-Fashioned, these timeless institutions only get better with age.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    This sleeper hit of a weeknight dinner comes from Food Network star Molly Yeh's cookbook Home is Where the Eggs Are—and is basically a vehicle for Parmesan and garlic toast. No complaints! (The alternate version, with ham and cream, is excellent too.)
    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    With visions of dinner parties and game nights dancing in their heads, a Chicago couple renovated their historic (and first) home, one DIY project at a time.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    Author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf shares how to make blooms last longer—and repeat.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Buses, trains and very few automobiles—check out these out-of-the-ordinary holiday lights displays.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Tamales are a project, but many hands—even tiny ones—make lighter work.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • DIY Pistachio Wheat Stalks for Fall Decorating
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    About Us

    About Us

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
    • Fall 2022 Issue
    • Winter 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Food
  3. Comfort Foods
  4. Readers' Choice Fall Comfort Foods

Readers' Choice Fall Comfort Foods

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com Updated July 23, 2021
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Dell's Branding Day Meat Loaf

What do you love to cook in fall? Chili, stew, pot roast, meat loaf, pie, pumpkin bread, squash, dumplings, beans, sweet potatoes—that's what our Facebook fans tell us. Dig in to these recipes inspired by your comments!

Start Slideshow

1 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Dell's Branding Day Meat Loaf

Dell's Branding Day Meat Loaf
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Season ground beef with onion soup mix in this easy meat loaf. The recipe comes from South Dakota's Triangle Ranch B&B, where the ketchup-glazed meat loaf feeds crews hungry from long days in the corral.

1 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cincinnati-Style Chili

Cincinnati-Style Chili
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Locals spar over whether Skyline or Gold Star makes the better version (and whether the secret ingredients should be cinnamon, cocoa or allspice). Whichever, chili in the Queen City translates as a mild, meaty sauce served over spaghetti noodles and topped with shredded cheese.

2 of 25

3 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Beans and Ham Hocks

Beans and Ham Hocks
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Thanks to the ham hocks, the only seasoning needed in these homey beans is a bit of salt.

3 of 25

Advertisement

4 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Apple Pie

Apple Pie
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Indiana pie shop owner Lisa Sparks blends tangy Granny Smiths and mellower Jonathans in her double-crust apple pie seasoned with cinnamon. Tapioca thickens her pale filling, making a lusciously clear sauce that wraps itself around the tender sliced fruit. The trick to tapioca: Soften it in liquid before baking. 

4 of 25

5 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bacon and Baked Potato Soup

Bacon and Baked Potato Soup
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Salty-smoky crumbled bacon tops our cheesy potato soup. "I made this soup and we loved it! Best potato soup ever!" writes one of our website reviewers. "I put carrots in mine; made it even better."

5 of 25

6 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Butternut Squash Bake

Butternut Squash Bake
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This creamy butternut squash casserole calls for mascarpone—a mild, soft, butterlike cheese—as well as Parmesan. You can substitute softened cream cheese for the mascarpone if you prefer. Time-saver: Look for precut squash in your supermarket. (You can also bake the squash in your oven first to make it easier to peel and cut.)

6 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fork-Tender Pot Roast

Fork-Tender Pot Roast
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This pot roast slow cooks until the meat turns brown and tender and the flavor mellows to an almost caramel overtone. Browned bits in the pan become the base for the rich red wine gravy.

7 of 25

8 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars recipe
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

These are especially good in fall, but canned pumpkin makes them an any-time treat.

8 of 25

9 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Wild Rice and Turkey Soup

Wild Rice and Turkey Soup
Credit: Mark Thomas
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Our quick and easy soup was inspired by the flavors of Minnesota, which leads the nation in turkey production. Smoked turkey mixes with the state grain, wild rice. Meaty shiitake mushrooms add more substance to the bowl.

9 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cranberry and pumpkin breads

Crazy-About-Cranberry Bread
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Fresh cranberries, orange juice and chopped walnuts flavor Crazy-About-Cranberry Bread (recipe link above), while snipped dates and walnuts add chewiness to moist slices of Spicy Pumpkin Bread. 

10 of 25

11 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Knoephla

Knoephla
Credit: Mark Thomas
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

German-Russians settling the Dakotas put Red River Valley potatoes to good use in this creamy-rich potato-filled base with noodle dough cooked. It's white-on-white comfort food.

11 of 25

12 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Butternut Squash, Lentil and Wild Rice Stew

Butternut Squash, Lentil and Wild Rice Stew
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Here's a main-dish soup loaded with veggies. Need to reduce the sodium? Use only one can of French onion soup and replace the other with 1-1/2 cups water.

12 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Amish Apple Dumplings

Amish Apple Dumplings
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

We often equate Amish food with comfort. Here's our version of a favorite apple dessert you might find at Amish-based restaurants in the Midwest.

13 of 25

14 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Chicken and Noodles

Chicken and Noodles
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Chicken, noodles, veggies and herbs simmer in a creamy sauce. It's a perfect one-dish meal; just serve with a small salad or dinner rolls.

14 of 25

15 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Applesauce Spice Cake

Applesauce Spice Cake
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

No granulated sugar is added to this recipe; the sweetness comes from cider, fruit and applesauce.

15 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fireside Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

Fireside Beef Stew with Root Vegetables
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Cranberry juice makes a surprise appearance in this slow-cooker main dish. The juice adds a little sweetness to the veggie-packed soup.

16 of 25

17 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Three Sisters Corn-and-Chili Chowder

Three Sisters Corn-and-Chili Chowder
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This lively chowder uses the three sisters of Native American cooking: corn, beans and squash.

17 of 25

18 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Firehouse Beef Roast

Firehouse Beef Roast
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This slow-cooked beef makes its own gravy as it roasts in the oven. The recipe comes from Greg Drazkowski of Menomonie, Wisconsin.

18 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Brisket in Onion-Ale BBQ Sauce

Brisket in Onion-Ale BBQ Sauce
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Beef, chili sauce and brown sugar flavor tender beef brisket in this slow-cooker recipe.

19 of 25

20 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Ginger-Cinnamon Apple Crisp

Ginger-Cinnamon Apple Crisp
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

"This is a twist on a popular dish and is one of my personal favorites," says April Osburn from the Clabber Girl Bake Shop in Terre Haute, Indiana. Thinly slice the apples for this apple dessert so they get done in the allotted baking time.

20 of 25

21 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Three-Bean Beauty Chili

Three-Bean Beauty Chili
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Erica Whitson, Maplewood, Minnesota, mixes black, kidney and garbanzo beans that bubble away in tomatoey brown sugar sauce with ground beef or turkey. 

21 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cranberry-Stuffed Pork Chops

Cranberry-Stuffed Pork Chops
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Savory sage in the stuffing mix meets cranberries in this easy pork chop recipe.

22 of 25

23 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This dish is pure creamy, chickeny goodness. The pastry tops can be made a day or two ahead. Bake as directed; cool and then cover loosely with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

23 of 25

24 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Hearty Minestrone Soup
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Susan Corley of New Albany, Ohio, shared her version of the classic Italian soup in New Albany Cooking with Friends, a cooking club project that took regional honors in the Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards. Susan often slow-cooks a pot of the soup for family meals during the holidays.

24 of 25

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 25

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cherry Crisp Pie

Cherry Crisp Pie
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

"Cherry Crisp Pie is popular because it's not overly sweet and has just the right bite to it. That makes it a true cherry lover's pie," says Kathy McCauley of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "The crumb topping is a nice twist on the traditional (double-crust) pie, giving it a shot of sweetness" with every bite.

25 of 25

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 25 Dell's Branding Day Meat Loaf
    2 of 25 Cincinnati-Style Chili
    3 of 25 Beans and Ham Hocks
    4 of 25 Apple Pie
    5 of 25 Bacon and Baked Potato Soup
    6 of 25 Butternut Squash Bake
    7 of 25 Fork-Tender Pot Roast
    8 of 25 Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars
    9 of 25 Wild Rice and Turkey Soup
    10 of 25 Cranberry and pumpkin breads
    11 of 25 Knoephla
    12 of 25 Butternut Squash, Lentil and Wild Rice Stew
    13 of 25 Amish Apple Dumplings
    14 of 25 Chicken and Noodles
    15 of 25 Applesauce Spice Cake
    16 of 25 Fireside Beef Stew with Root Vegetables
    17 of 25 Three Sisters Corn-and-Chili Chowder
    18 of 25 Firehouse Beef Roast
    19 of 25 Brisket in Onion-Ale BBQ Sauce
    20 of 25 Ginger-Cinnamon Apple Crisp
    21 of 25 Three-Bean Beauty Chili
    22 of 25 Cranberry-Stuffed Pork Chops
    23 of 25 Chicken Pot Pie
    24 of 25 Hearty Minestrone Soup
    25 of 25 Cherry Crisp Pie

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Readers' Choice Fall Comfort Foods
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.