Opinion Hearty, wholesome autumn recipes: eating seasonally in Australia

Want to fall into step with nature by eating seasonally in autumn? Here are the best fruits, veggies, and recipes to savour at this cosy time of year. 

When the heat of summer gives way to cool, crisp autumn days, you’ll probably find yourself instinctively gravitating towards comforting, nourishing fare like stews, soups, and roasted veg.

These are already great go-tos to have in your autumn arsenal — but there’s a simple way to make them even better. Incorporating locally grown, seasonal produce into these classic cool-weather meals is a super achievable way of elevating your cooking, with a wide range of benefits. 

What are the benefits of seasonal eating?  

Fruit and veg that’s currently in season and grown in your area doesn’t have to travel as far to reach your plate, so it’s likely to be super fresh, optimally nutritious, and flavourful — not to mention more affordable and better for the environment.

It’s also just fun to learn how to sync your cooking with the seasons! There’s something pretty satisfying about getting more in touch with the rhythm of nature and letting it guide your culinary exploits throughout the year. 

What seasonal produce is available right now in Australia?   

Autumn’s iconic fruits and veggies are probably the easiest to visualise and remember, since they fit right in with the season’s warm and cosy colour palette. Think apples, pears, figs, artichokes, Brussels sprouts, pumpkins, and squashes, as well as root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and beetroot.

40+ autumn recipes heroing seasonal fruit & veg

Ready to get cooking? Add these seasonally inspired plant-based recipes to your autumn repertoire…  

Desserts & Sweets

• Golden-crusted Apple Pie    
• Chai-spiced Apple & Rhubarb Crumble with Earl Grey Custard  
• Apple Pie Tacos with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream  
• Dark Chocolate Tart with Spiced Figs  
• Apple Blueberry Crumble 
• Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Pecans 
• Nanna’s Carrot Cake 
• Apple, Maple & Pecan Hot Cross Buns 
• No-bake Chocolate & Beetroot Cheesecake 
• Nanna’s Apple Frittole 

Mains

• Whole Roasted Stuffed Pumpkin with Gravy  
• Curried Potato & Carrot with Flatbread  
• White Bean Stew with Crispy Roast Carrots  
• Pumpkin, Chickpea & Spinach Curry 
• Simplest Weeknight Pumpkin Curry Ever 
• Creamy Parsnip Pasta with Leftover Bread Crumble  
• Roasted Parsnip & Fennel Soup  
• Middle Eastern Spiced Root Veg Soup  
• Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Easy Tomato Sauce  
• Slow Baked Sweet Potato with DIY Toppings  
• Nanna’s Pumpkin Soup 
• Creamy Mushroom, Leek & Potato Soup 
• Slow-grilled Cauliflower Steak 
• Beetroot and lentil wellington
  Buffalo Cauliflower Burgers with Vegan Ranch
  Mushroom & Pumpkin Risotto

Sides, Snacks & Salads

• Charred Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Molasses  
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry & Almond Salad  
• Salt & Vinegar Brussels Sprouts  
• Roasted Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad 
• Beetroot & Butter Bean Dip  
• Strawberry Sofrito with Steamed Beetroots  
• Caramelised Baby Carrots with Puy Lentils 
• Roast Veggies with Garlic-herb Chickpeas 
• Potato Gratin 
• Nanna’s Sauteed Potato and Silverbeet 
• Fig, Spelt & Rocket Salad with Lemon Mustard Dressing  
• The Crispiest Roast Potatoes 
• ‘Cheesy’ Broccoli Tarts 
• Crispy & Spicy Smashed Potato Salad 
• Pumpkin & Three Cheese Scrolls 
• Peri Peri Roasted Cauliflower with Mint Yoghurt 

Keen to learn more about seasonal eating in Australia? 

There’s so much more where that came from — a whole year’s worth of seasonal produce and exciting new recipes to explore! Check out our beginner’s guide for all the practical info you need to find your feet with seasonal cooking, including ways to tell what’s in season at the grocery store. 

We’ve also got guides (like this one!) for the other seasons, too: 

❄️ Seasonal Recipes for Winter (June – August)

🌸 Seasonal Recipes for Spring (September – November)

☀️ Seasonal Recipes for Summer (December – February)

Each guide is packed with tips and seasonal plant-based recipe ideas to get you started. It can feel like a lot to remember at first, but the good news is that you don’t really have to try to memorise anything!

Come back to these guides whenever you need a refresher, and you’ll soon become a pro at anticipating which fruits and veggies are coming back into season — and how to make the most of them in your meals. 

We’ve certainly found that cooking with the seasons inspires us to step out of our comfort zone more often, trying ingredients and recipes we wouldn’t normally think of — some of which have become long-time favourites that we now look forward to every year.

Happy cooking this autumn! We’d love to hear how you go.