10 Trader Joe’s Fall Recipes For Easy, Comforting Dinners & Sweet Treats

Fall always puts me in the mood for cooking and baking. Maybe because it’s more fun to turn on the oven when it’s not 100 degrees out? Or maybe because fall is an excuse to eat all the comfort foods. 

Either way, I’m here for it. 

Even though I love to cook, life’s busy, so I’m all about shortcuts. As soon as September hits, Trader Joe’s fall recipes are one of my go-to hacks: quick staples and seasonal gems that make everyday meals feel special.

So if you’re ready for quick dinners (plus a few sweets) that taste like fall, here are my top 10 favorites to try this season.

This post contains affiliate links that earn me a commission. For more information, read my disclaimer.

1. Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter, Sage & Pancetta

While Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Ravioli is available year-round, I love it most in the fall, paired with brown butter, sage, and crispy pancetta. It feels restaurant-worthy, but only takes a few minutes to throw together.

You can also swap in their seasonal Pumpkin Ravioli, but that’s a little too much pumpkin for me. 

Ingredients

(Serves 2-3)

• 1 package Butternut Squash Ravioli
• 1 (4-oz) package pancetta
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
• Fresh sage leaves

Instructions

1. Cook the pancetta in a skillet until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels.
2. In the same skillet, add butter and cook until golden and nutty. Toss in sage leaves until crisp, then remove.
3. Meanwhile, boil water and cook ravioli according to package directions.
4. Toss ravioli with the brown butter sauce, top with pancetta and sage, and serve.

2. Cozy Fall Chicken Parmesan with Autumnal Harvest Sauce

Give classic chicken parmesan a fall twist using Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce! It’s perfectly seasonal (not too pumpkin-y) and an easy way to make chicken parm feel cozy for autumn.

You can use your go-to chicken parm method and simply swap in this sauce, or follow my version below.

Ingredients

(Serves 4-5)

• 1 jar Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce
• ~1½ lbs chicken breasts or thighs (I prefer thighs)
• 1 lb linguine or spaghetti
• Flour (for dredging)
• 2–3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (I like ½ panko + ½ regular)
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan (fresh if possible)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil + butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Trim chicken and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, then coat in breadcrumb mixture.
3. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken on both sides until golden brown.
4. Spread about ⅓ of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, then arrange the chicken on top.
5. Spoon additional sauce over each piece (leaving about ½–⅓ jar for pasta), then sprinkle with mozzarella.
6. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
7. Meanwhile, cook linguine. Warm the remaining sauce, then toss with pasta.
8. Plate pasta topped with chicken parm. Serve with roasted broccoli or another veggie.

3. Pumpkin Gnocchi with Apple Chicken Sausage & Pesto

Pumpkin is one of those flavors that can be tricky in savory dishes. On its own, Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Gnocchi can lean a little sweet. But when you add chicken apple sausage for sweet and savory depth and basil pesto for a salty, herbaceous kick, everything comes together in the best way.

Ingredients

(Serves 2-3)

• 1 package Pumpkin Gnocchi (refrigerated section)
• 1 package Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage
• 1 jar Basil Pesto Sauce

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook gnocchi until it floats to the top.
2. Meanwhile, slice the sausage and sauté it in a skillet until golden brown.
3. Drain gnocchi and toss with sausage and pesto to taste. Serve warm.

4. Hearty Autumnal Harvest Soup with Sausage, Pasta, & Cornbread

I’ll confess: I’m not usually a big soup person. Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Soup has great flavor, but on its own, it isn’t quite filling enough for me to call it dinner. 

The fix? Add pasta and spicy sausage, then serve it alongside warm cornbread made from Trader Joe’s mix. 

Ingredients

(Serves 5-6)

• 2 jars Autumnal Harvest Soup
• 1 lb spicy Italian pork sausage (for less heat, use sweet Italian or a mix of both)
• ½ lb Artisan Pasta
• 1 box Cornbread Mix (plus oil, egg, and milk for baking)

Instructions

1. Prepare cornbread according to package directions.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the sausage, breaking it into chunks.
3. Stir in both jars of soup and bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and add to the soup.
5. Serve hot with cornbread on the side.

Tip: This soup turns out thick and hearty, especially when reheated. Add chicken broth (or extra soup if you have it) to thin it out, or reduce the sausage and pasta if you prefer a lighter consistency.

5. Peppercorn-Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash Zig-zags & Salad

Trader Joe’s Peppercorn-Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Butternut Squash Zig-zags may not be seasonal items, but together they make the perfect autumn dinner. 

The pork is flavorful (a little on the salty side), while the squash brings natural sweetness that balances it out. Add a citrusy salad kit, and you’ve got a quick, complete meal that feels just right for fall.

Ingredients

(Serves 2-3)

• Peppercorn-Garlic Pork Tenderloin
• 1 package Butternut Squash Zig-zags (plus oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder for roasting)
• 1 Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit

Note: The tenderloin and squash serve about 2–3 people, while the salad kit is larger (about 5–6 servings). 

Instructions

1. Cook pork using my seared pork tenderloin with oven-off roasting method.
2. Toss squash with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder; roast on a baking sheet at 425°F for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
3. While pork rests, broil squash briefly on the top rack to caramelize.
4. Toss salad, slice pork into medallions, and serve everything together.

Tip: If you only have one oven, roast the squash on a rack under the pork.

6. Fall Charcuterie Board: The Easiest No-Cook Dinner

Who says you can’t eat charcuterie for dinner? On those nights when you’d rather snack than cook, a fall-inspired board is the perfect solution. 

Pile on Trader Joe’s fall cheeses, meats, and seasonal snacks for a spread that feels cozy but takes minimal effort.

Quick Peek

• Choose 2–3 cheeses, such as Creamy Toscano with Dusted with Cinnamon, Red Leicester, or Brie.
• Use seasonal dips like Pumpkin Butter, Pepper Jelly, or Fig Butter.
• Add a couple of meats (prosciutto, salami, or your favorites).
• Layer in fall snacks such as Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps, Maple Spiced Nut Nix, fresh figs, and dried fruit.

7. Pumpkin Brioche Twist French Toast with Maple Butter

Looking for a decadent fall breakfast? Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Brioche Twist makes the most indulgent French toast: soft, spiced, and perfectly cozy for a weekend morning. 

Add a pat of Maple Butter on top, and you’ll never go back to regular bread again.

Quick Peek

• Thick slices of Pumpkin Brioche Twist
• Dipped in a classic custard mixture, minus the sugar
• Pan-fried until golden
• Finished with Maple Butter (don’t skip it!)

8. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

For a sweet treat that doubles as breakfast and dessert, Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix gets an upgrade with chocolate chips. Baking it in a Bundt pan makes it feel extra elegant: perfect for entertaining or a cozy fall weekend.

Ingredients & Equipment

(Serves 10-12)

• 1 12-cup Bundt pan 
• Cooking spray (I like Pam Baking Spray with Flour to prevent sticking)
• 2 boxes Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups water
• 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Note: I usually buy my chocolate chips in bulk at Costco. Trader Joe’s also sells semi-sweet chips if you’d like to keep this fully TJ’s, though I haven’t tested them in this recipe.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and water.
3. In a separate bowl, toss a couple of tablespoons of the dry mix with chocolate chips (this keeps them from sinking).
4. Add the remaining dry mix to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Prepare Bundt pan with cooking spray and fill with batter until ⅔–¾ full.
6. Bake until a skewer inserted near the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
7. Cool for 5–10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate or cake stand.

Serving Notes: 

• If your Bundt cake leaves little gaps from chips that stick to the pan when you invert it, tuck a few extra chocolate chips into the holes while it’s still warm — they’ll melt in and make it even more indulgent.
• Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar for a simple finish, or drizzle with an easy ganache made from melted chocolate chips and cream or butter. 
• No Bundt pan? Bake in loaf pans instead, following the package instructions.

9. Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my favorite fall bakes comes from Tieghan Gerard’s Half-Baked Harvest: Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re chewy, subtly spiced, and packed with chocolate. Even my husband, who usually avoids pumpkin, loves these.

The secret is pumpkin butter, and the Trader Joe’s version is perfect here. It adds flavor without extra moisture, keeping the cookies chewy instead of cakey.

The recipe also calls for both chips and chopped chocolate. I like using Trader Joe’s Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar for chunks alongside semi-sweet chips.

All the ingredients can be found at Trader Joe’s (though I usually skip their sugar, since the texture is a little different).

10. Trader Joe’s Green Bean Casserole

Nothing says fall heading into the holidays like green bean casserole, and this version is one of my most popular recipes. It’s my cozy, no-fuss take on the Thanksgiving classic, made entirely with Trader Joe’s ingredients.

Once November hits and TJ’s stocks their Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup and Gourmet Fried Onion Pieces, you’ll want this side dish on your table.

Quick Peek

• A cozy twist on the classic, made entirely with Trader Joe’s ingredients
• Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup for extra depth and umami
• Frozen Haricots Verts Green Beans for convenience with a touch of sophistication
• Gourmet Fried Onion Pieces on top for the classic, decadent finish

There you have it: a few of my go-to recipes from my favorite season and grocery store. Trader Joe’s never disappoints this time of year, and I can’t wait to see what it brings to your table this fall.

Trader Joe’s Fall Favorites

If you missed them while scrolling, here are three of my go-to Trader Joe’s fall favorites for easy reference.