20 Fall Dinners You Can Make in 20 Minutes

White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

These super-fast dinners are perfect for busy weeknights. Featuring fall ingredients, including sweet potatoes, winter squash and Brussels sprouts, each recipe is healthy, flavorful and sure to please everyone at the dinner table. Recipes like our White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi and Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos are delicious ways to celebrate the season.

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01 of 20

Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Take taco night to a new level with sweet potato taco "shells." Tender sweet potatoes pair perfectly with spicy taco meat, creamy cheese and crisp lettuce. Let everyone customize their taco potato with their favorite toppings.

02 of 20

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw

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This zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a preshredded coleslaw blend.

03 of 20

White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

04 of 20

Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

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These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.

05 of 20

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Chicken Sausage & Kale

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Chicken Sausage & Kale

What's the secret to making store-bought butternut squash ravioli even more delicious? Add apple-chicken sausage, tender greens and lots of caramelized onions. We add a bit of sugar to help the onions caramelize faster, but feel free to omit it (just cook the onions a bit longer if you do). Buy prewashed chopped kale to cut down on prep time. It all adds up to an easy dinner that's ready in just 20 minutes.

06 of 20

Skillet Ravioli Lasagna

Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
Jasmine Comer

This easy inside-out ravioli lasagna is the ultimate weeknight comfort food--no layering or mixing bowls required. Feel free to swap in ground turkey for the beef. Look for fresh mozzarella balls (also called "pearls") in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store.

07 of 20

Mixed Greens with Lentils & Sliced Apple

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This salad with lentils, feta and apple is a satisfying vegetarian entree to whip together for lunch. To save time, swap in drained canned lentils--just make sure to look for low-sodium and give them a rinse before adding them to the salad.

08 of 20

Sloppy Joe-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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Take sloppy Joes to a new level with tender sweet potatoes standing in for the bun. Sweet potatoes pair perfectly with the tangy, flavorful filling of ground beef, black beans and spices. Chopped dill pickle sprinkled on top adds crunch to this quick weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

09 of 20

Grilled Chicken with Farro & Roasted Cauliflower

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You can find farro in most grocery stores, near the rice. If you can't find farro, you can use wheat berries or brown rice instead; cook according to package directions.

10 of 20

20-Minute Balsamic Mushroom & Spinach Pasta

20-Minute Balsamic Mushroom & Spinach Pasta
Antonis Achilleos

This 20-minute veggie pasta dish is super savory, thanks to meaty mushrooms, while the natural sweetness from the balsamic vinegar, basil and pistachios brighten up this quick, healthy vegetarian dinner.

11 of 20

Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice

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Substituting riced cauliflower for rice reduces calories and carbs in this veggie-packed dish. Use the vibrant flavors of fried rice—ginger, scallions and tamari—to create a low-carb version of the classic take-out meal.

12 of 20

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.

13 of 20

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta with Chicken

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta with Chicken
Jamie Vespa

If you love warm spinach and artichoke dip, then you'll love that we turned this classic dip into a creamy pasta dish with chicken. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

14 of 20

Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Spaghetti & Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce (tk final title)
Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna

To achieve flavor quickly in this sun-dried tomato pasta recipe, we use the oil from sun-dried tomatoes to create the base of the cream sauce. Meanwhile, the residual heat of the pasta wilts the spinach in record time for a fast weeknight dinner.

15 of 20

Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives

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Store-bought spinach ravioli and a handful of basic pantry items are all you need to get a healthy dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Ingredients like oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives and toasty pine nuts help to build big flavor fast. If you can't find frozen artichokes, swap in a 15-ounce can (just be sure to drain and rinse them well).

16 of 20

Creamy Broccoli Pasta

Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Brie Passano

If you're looking for a simple weeknight pasta dish, look no further. This vegetarian dinner is done in only 20 minutes and packs plenty of broccoli along with creamy goodness thanks to mascarpone cheese and low-fat Greek yogurt.

17 of 20

Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios

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Precooked farro makes this dish come together in no time. And you can make it in the same bowl you serve it in, minimizing cleanup!

18 of 20

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing, low angle on a plate

Ali Redmond

Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!

19 of 20

Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

20 of 20

Walnut-Rosemary Crusted Salmon

Walnut-Rosemary Crusted Salmon on a serving platter

Blaine Moats

Salmon and walnuts are both great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Pair this easy walnut-crusted salmon recipe with a simple salad and a side of roasted potatoes for dinner.

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