Are you gearing up for a delightful autumn dinner gathering? Say goodbye to your planning concerns as we present an abundance of autumn recipes, creative decorating suggestions, and delectable seasonal treats to kickstart your preparations.
Whether your taste buds yearn for the timeless duo of meat and potatoes (think strip steak paired with zesty mashed spuds) or something more adventurous (such as an impressive homemade pasta creation), our list caters to everyone’s preferences!
Best Fall Dinner Party Menu Ideas
1. Pumpkin Spice White Russian
First up at your autumn dinner party: a cocktail, of course! Greet guests with a drink that carries a touch of the season—and lets everyone relax while you put the finishing touches on dinner.
2. Smokey Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
These super cute deviled eggs make the perfect fall dinner party appetizer. A simple flick of the fork makes the pumpkin ridges, and cornichons make the stems. But it’s the smoked paprika (our new favorite spice) that make them irresistible.
3. Pumpkin & Pesto Crostini
Pair Smokey Pumpkin Deviled Eggs with these sweet and easy crostini. Roasted pumpkin, dark rye bread, burrata cheese, and a homemade pesto make ideal bite-sized treats perfect for fall.
4. Try Hosting Outdoors
Fall weather can be unpredictable, depending on where you live, but hosting an outdoor party in fall is unexpected—and your last chance before the chilly winter months. However, always have an indoor back-up plan in case of sudden bad weather.
5. Composed Waldorf Salad
This refined version of the classic Waldorf salad has all kinds of great fall ingredients, from walnuts and apples to pomegranate pips. It looks beautiful, and guests can pick and choose which ingredients they want.
6. Grilled Apples with Prosciutto and Honey
This easy appetizer makes the most of fresh fall fruit and delicious flavors. Tide your guests over with these grilled apples while waiting for the main course!
7. Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Pine Nut Gremolata
Pasta is great for serving a crowd, but put the jar of red sauce down. A can of pumpkin, some pine nuts, and a few herbs are all you need to elevate this fall pasta dish to the ethereal.
8. Crispy Chicken Thighs With Garlic and Rosemary
The best fall dinner party recipes are the ones that smell heavenly, enticing your guests into your home with their aroma. This crowd-pleasing chicken dish fills the bill perfectly—and it’s irresistibly crispy to boot.
9. Maple-Apple Tarte Tatin
Looking to impress your dinner guests and wow them with an especially autumn-themed dessert? This sweet dessert is a stunning step up from your standard pie.
10. Mini Apple & Raspberry Pies
Treat guests to the perfect bite-size after-dinner treat with these gorgeous little single-serving pies.
11. Sausage and Apple Pies
Pies don’t have to just be for dessert! This savory apple pie is elegantly served in individual portions.
12. Autumn-Inspired Decor Touches
Get your home ready for both your dinner party and the fall season in general. Start by sprucing up your front door decorations and then work your way inside. You don’t have to go overboard—a few smart autumn additions can make a big impact. We love the look of these leafy branches in a vase, and the fire is a lovely touch as well.
13. Slow Cooker Spinach-and-Parmesan Meatballs
Fall is for comfort food, and there’s little more comforting than these easy, delicious meatballs.
14. Parsley-Garlic Bread
A little fresh garlic, some butter, and about eight minutes in the oven, and you can turn a loaf of plain country bread into something incredible.
15. Broiled Broccolini and Capers
When roasted under a broiler, tender broccolini yields a sweet, charred flavor that pairs perfectly with salty capers and a touch of crushed red pepper.
16. Pumpkin-Chorizo Pizza
Hosting friends for a fall pizza night? Give the meal a big boost of autumn with this smokey, savory dish. Shaved pumpkin is melt-in-your-mouth good, and pairs well with onion, chorizo, and sharp Cheddar cheese.
17. Use Cozy Blankets as Tablecloths
Two tartan beauties turn this back porch table into a work of art. (The oversize wreath certainly doesn’t hurt either.)
18. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
This fresh, easy-as-ever salad is bound to be a regular in your fall dinner menu rotation. Chopped apple, hazelnuts, and Pecorino cheese make it a winner. Pro tip: Serve it family-style for maximum simplicity.
19. Spiced Grit-Fried Chicken Cutlets
What’s better than an easy chicken dinner? We love this one, which pairs two Southern favorites (grits and fried chicken) for a taste that’s simply out of this world.
20. Rosemary Beef Tenderloin with Root Vegetables
This delicious roast comes together surprisingly fast, making it a great option for your fall dinner party. It’s packed with flavor and plenty of veggies.
21. Apple-Themed Centerpiece
You don’t have to go over-the-top to create a stunning scene. Rather than opt for a big, dramatic centerpiece, interior designer Jenny Komenda used an apple-themed ombre effect to create something much more visually stimulating.
Hurricane lanterns are another great option for outdoor dinners. They add light for function, glow for ambiance, and their shape and size make them practical in windy settings.
22. Strip Steak With Lemon Mashed Potatoes
Meat and potatoes for the win! This classic, tried-and-true combo is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, but get this: You’ll be able to whip the whole thing up in just 30 minutes.
23. Roasted Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Comforting, homey, and simple, this sweet potato dish makes for an excellent side at any fall dinner party. It also works beautifully in your work lunchbox the next day…but that’s assuming you have leftovers.
24. Add a Bowl of Gourds
There’s nothing easier than filling a basket with some decorative gourds. Here, they turn a lovely, though unseasonal kitchen into a festive, seasonal retreat.
25. Shrimp Chowder with Herb Drop Biscuits
Have guests coming in an hour? Thirty minutes at the stove, and you’ll wow them with plump shrimp and herb-flecked biscuits.
26. Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin
For vegetarian guests and kids (or adults) who don’t typically love vegetables alike, this cheesy, filling casserole-style side is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser.
27. Sausage & Grits Lasagna
Comfort food is always welcome at any fall gathering, but this lasagna is an ideal dinner party addition for another reason. You don’t have to worry about plating it beautifully, because your guests will be serving themselves straight from the pan.
28. Potato Gnocchi With Pork Ragù
Aiming to impress? Then forget the classics and opt for this homemade gnocchi. Topped with a delectable meat sauce, it’s a fantastic and memorable entrée…but it’s certainly a little on the more advanced side.
29. Rotisserie Chicken and Potato Chowder
The best dinner party menus are the ones that yield leftovers. Like, a lot of leftovers. This creamy soup does just that, meaning you can enjoy it for lunch the next day at work too!
30. Spice up Your Fall Flower Display
Embrace the season and hunt down a few fall-colored vintage food tins the next time you go antiquing. For containers on the taller side, fill with bright, voluminous buds (like these Sanguisorba cones) to create an effortless centerpiece. As for smaller tins, keep the look casual with a looser arrangement.
31. White Turkey and Poblano Chili
This hearty recipe will satisfy a crowd. Served up in a big dutch oven with all the fixin’s, like Roasted Tomatillo and Poblano Salad, chopped avocado, sour cream, and lime wedges, this hearty stew is equally at home for a family supper or as the centerpiece to a cool-weather party.
32. Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus
If you’re not used to serving a crowd, now may not be the right time to try setting 12 different timers and using every rack in your oven. Opt for this one-pan meal instead, which lets you cook both the main course and sides at the same time. A spicy sauce keeps things flavorful.
33. Caramel Apple Favors
If you plan on giving out a party favor, you can’t go wrong with something season, customizable, and made with love. Our go-to gift for autumn? Caramel apples.
34. Peanut Butter Acorns
It’s great to have some smaller bite-sized sweets as an option at a dinner party just in case your guests don’t want anything heavy after their meal. These darling acorn-shaped treats will hit the spot and are super easy to make.
35. Apple Spice Cake
Going on an apple picking trip this fall? This cake is a must and one your party guests will absolutely love.
36. Muted Color Scheme
Developing a theme is a fun part of event planning. Use it as your guide for all decisions from invitations to party favors. A theme can be as simple as selecting a color palette that is used in all the details.
From: https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/g1219/fall-dinner-party/