Anyone who has ever been apple picking knows, the best time for fresh apples is in the early fall. Of course, apples are available year-round due to creative storage and preservation methods, but they definitely have a prime, and that season is now. 

I, for one, find them to be the perfect way to transition to the autumn months. I’m never quite ready to let go of summer, and find fresh, crisp apples to bridge the gap seamlessly into the months of pumpkin spice.

One of my favorite ways to use apples is in this apple pasta, partly because it is so unique and fun, but mostly because it’s incredibly tasty. Shredded apples cook slowly in a pot of tomato sauce, imparting a distinctive texture and tart acidity that plays so nicely with the tomatoes. Its origins are in the mountainous region of Northern Italy, and it’s just the dish to dig into when you want something comforting, that’s not yet full-on fall. 

Of course, I’ve also got sweet treats featuring apples, including a cider donut-like quick bread that makes for a lovely breakfast, and a salted butter caramel apple sundae made in one pot and ready in 30.

Keeping it healthy? Nothing beats a fall-themed apple salad, and my version with radicchio and creamy gorgonzola dressing will have you buying apples by the bushelful.

Last but not least, a whole roasted chicken with apples and turnips is a seasonally festive dish – just the thing to make for a Rosh Hashanah feast or a weekend dinner when you have a bit more time to allow the ingredients to roast slowly and develop a deep, rich flavor. 

In addition to these new, fresh recipes for fall, be sure to check out all of my apple dishes in the Zest recipe box, along with my guide to the best apples for making applesauce.

So much goodness! Happy cooking. 

Apple & Tomato Sauce Spaghetti

When I first started making this dish, the mistake that I sometimes made was not cooking it long enough. Neither the apples nor the onions should have any bite to them at all. The entire sauce should be meltingly tender. The texture will not be completely smooth, but everything should be well cooked. Be sure to give the onions enough time in the pan to soften before adding the tomatoes, and allow the apples to simmer in the sauce until they are no longer firm. The bread crumb topping is optional, but adds a nice fall touch with the sage and garlic.

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Roasted Chicken with Miso Butter Glazed Apples, Turnips & Beets

The best type of pan to cook this dish in is a Dutch oven. Tucking the vegetables underneath the chicken allows them to slowly roast and become tender without burning or drying out. If you do not have this type of pot, choose a roasting pan with high sides that is only a few inches larger than the chicken on all sides.

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Apple Cider Breakfast Bread

Cooking the apples in the cider, essentially making your own applesauce, may seem fussy, however you’ll be rewarded with a sweetly texture apple cake with a distinctive punch from the cider. Topping it off with a cinnamon sugar sprinkle makes this like an apple cider donut in breakfast bread form. Because of the extra step of cooking down the apples, I decided to skip the usual process of creaming the butter and sugar and using a stand mixer, and instead melt the butter directly in the pot with the apples, then continuing to make the rest of the cake in the same pot. The process could not be simpler.

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Salted Butter Caramel Apple Sundaes

Think of this like a sundae in reverse. The apples are cooked in sugar on the stovetop until the sugar begins to darken, then cream is poured in to make a one-pot apple caramel sauce. Instead of spooning this over ice cream, the chunky sweet/salty apple caramel is the base of the dessert, which gets topped with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.

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Radicchio & Apple Salad with Salted Almonds & Gorgonzola Dressing

Blue cheese lovers, this one’s for you. An easy, creamy gorgonzola dressing couldn’t be easier to make, and the salad itself can be assembled in under 10 minutes. Keep the dressing and the salad separate if you’d like to make this ahead, tossing just before serving.

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