30 Easy September Dinner Recipes to Make Every Night This Month - VERSION 2
Not to be party poopers, but when September starts, we consider summer (unofficially) officially over. Our tans start to fade, school is back in session and we take a long trip back to reality. We can’t promise to ease your pain, but we can make life a little easier by figuring out what you should cook. Here are 30 easy dinner recipes to tackle every night in September, including a few options that will help you look forward to the season ahead.
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September 1: 15-Minute Herb-Crumbed Fish
Kate Sears/The Modern Table
This lightning-fast dish is essentially foolproof (like, eight ingredients foolproof). Salmon will work, but we urge you to mix up your usual with another fish, like cod, tilapia, haddock, trout or bass.
September 2: Jackfruit Tacos with Grilled Pineapple
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
The go-to vegan alternative to pulled pork will knock your socks off (especially since it's topped with smoky grilled pineapple, sauteed bell pepper and queso fresco).
September 3: Crispy Za’atar Chicken And Cauliflower
Meseidy Rivera/Weeknight Gourmet Dinners
Crispy-skinned chicken? Check. Tender roasted cauliflower? Check. All in under an hour? Yep, dinner's ready.
September 4: Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
This fall-inspired sheet pan meal is simple, flavorful and nutritious—the ultimate trifecta. Don’t skimp on the three-ingredient yogurt sauce that tastes divine on just about anything.
September 5: Lemongrass-Ginger Coconut Grilled Steak
Chelsea Kyle/For the Table
It's Labor Day, so it would be pretty rude not to light up the grill, don’t you think? Serve the steak with potato salad, white rice, corn on the cob or pasta salad.
September 6: Black Bean Burgers with Guacamole and Griddled Onions
Katherine Gillen
Since summer's not over quite yet, soak up the last rays of the season by popping these flavorful plant-based patties on the grill and topping them with all the fixings. Bonus points for making your own guac.
September 7: Pan-Seared Scallops with Citrusy Corn Succotash
Erin Kunkel/The Vibrant Life
This gorgeous plate requires less than ten ingredients (including salt!) and takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. It's a delicious way to send off corn season.
September 8: Grilled Caprese Skewers with Halloumi and Sourdough
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Because salad tastes a million times better covered in char marks (and on a stick). These skewers are filling enough as is, but feel free to serve them with grilled salmon, seared steak or chicken to make them more satisfying.
September 9: General Tso’s Cauliflower
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
This version of your favorite dish is sweet and spicy, like the takeout original, but ours will please meat-eaters and vegetarians alike—and your picky kids.
September 10: Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
We tend to think of Crockpot meals as super heavy, but this one is light and zesty, thanks to garlic, capers and lots of lemon. Mmm.
September 11: Halloumi and Caramelized Mushroom Tacos
Katherine Gillen
Halloumi is a semi-hard Cyprian cheese that develops a crispy, golden brown exterior and a warm, gooey interior when grilled. Trust us, you won't miss the ground beef.
September 12: Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
This pork dish looks fancy, but it comes together in 20 minutes and uses only five ingredients. In other words, it's our new weeknight favorite.
September 13: Goat Cheese, Peach and Basil Panini
Aviva Wittenberg/Lunchbox
Summer ain't over 'til the fat peach sings, and it's best put to use in this toasty, tangy sandwich. Serve it with arugula salad, grilled vegetables or fresh kohlrabi slaw.
September 14: Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad
A New Way to Food
No wimpy salads here. This platter is surprisingly hearty and filling. We'll chalk it up to rich salmon, tender couscous and a protein-packed yogurt dressing.
September 15: Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
If it were up to us, everything would be topped with mozzarella. For now, we'll settle for this pesto-kissed chicken dish finished with summer's last tomatoes.
September 16: Sweet Potato Rösti with Fried Eggs and Greens
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
Not familiar with a rösti? It's kind of like a potato pancake or a latke, and it’s excellent for breakfast, brunch or, in this case, dinner.
September 17: Cacio e Pepe
Photo: Liz Andrew/ Styling: Erin McDowell
Sometimes simplicity wins out. And it's even better when it’s in the form of a 20-minute pasta dinner that only calls for five pantry staples.
September 18: Stir Fried Beef Bowls with Rice Noodles
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
You're only 30 minutes away from zingy flank steak, chewy rice vermicelli, crisp snap peas, crunchy peanuts and all the fresh herbs.
September 19: Honey Mustard Sheet Pan Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
Colin Price/Two Peas & Their Pod Cookbook
We love the way the Brussels sprouts soak up all the pan juices. Serve the chicken over white rice or with hunks of crusty bread for dipping.
September 20: Chickpea Caesar Salad with a Cheater’s Dressing
Katherine Gillen
The Caesar salad is timeless, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved upon. Here, roasted chickpeas liven the dish up with spices and plant-based protein.
September 21: Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Artichokes
Colin Price/Two Peas & Their Pod Cookbook
It's like your favorite party dip got a pasta-fied makeover. When the goat cheese hits the hot pasta, it creates a creamy sauce—some might even call it magic.
September 22: Salmon Bowl with Farro, Black Beans and Tahini Dressing
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
We can practically feel the vitamins (and protein) coursing through our veins after one of these hearty bowls.
September 23: Mustardy Pork Tenderloin with Grapes and Red Onions
Nicole Franzen/To the Last Bite
Don't let its elegant appearance fool you. This soul-warming fall dish only takes 35 minutes to prepare. Even better, the recipe only calls for eight ingredients.
September 24: Bacon Mac and Cheese
Photo: Liz Andrew/ Styling: Erin McDowell
We like to think of this as a fancy BLT sans bread, since it includes crispy chopped bacon, canned fire-roasted tomatoes and wilted arugula.
September 25: Coconut Shrimp
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Even picky eaters will have zero complaints about these shatteringly crisp breaded shrimp. They might even like the sweet chile dipping sauce, too.
September 26: Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Green Olives
Christopher Hirsheimer/Canal House Cook Something
The trick to impossibly crispy chicken thighs is to start with a cold pan, then cook them low and slow to render out all the fat in the skin. It's worth every ounce of your patience, trust.
September 27: Spicy Bucatini Amatriciana
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
While we can’t hop a flight to Italy, we can pretend we're there by way of a plate full of this mouth-tingling pasta. Pair the dish with a big green salad or garlic bread (or both).
September 28: White Turkey Chili with Avocado
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
It’s just as spicy and satisfying as the chili you know and love, only lightened up a touch with turkey instead of traditional ground beef.
September 29: Wild Mushroom, Potato and Onion Tart
Melina Hammer/A Year at Catbird Cottage
Store-bought puff pastry does it again. Keep a package in your fridge at all times so you can make this dinner party-ready tart at the drop of a hat.
September 30: Cheater’s Sicilian-Style Pizza with Jalapeños and Honey
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
Congrats—you made it through the month. Why not celebrate with pizza? We'll take extra honey on our slice, please.
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For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
Katherine Gillen is a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she's an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
