Autumn isn’t just about sweater weather and pumpkin spice lattes (though we admit to loving both). From hearty vegetables to tart and juicy fruits, fall brings cozy flavors and a variety of nutrients to keep you feeling warm and full as the temperatures drop. 

Fall is the perfect time for hearty soups, stews, and comfort food fare that sticks with you. Let’s explore the fruits and vegetables in season for fall or early winter and how you can incorporate them into your cooking routine with Primal Kitchen.

3 cranberry stuffed sweet potato halves on a white plate. A bottle of Primal Kitchen Balsamic Dressing in the background.

Root for These Vegetables

Nothing screams autumn quite like crops nestled under a blanket of fresh soil. Nicknamed “root vegetables” because the primary edible part of the plant is the root, these versatile veggies are perfect for roasting, mashing, or tossing into soups and stews that will keep you warm well into the snowy season.

  • Sweet Potatoes: A source of complex carbohydrates, sweet potatoes are perfect for whipping up a savory mash with Primal Kitchen Garlic Aioli or make easy 3-ingredient fries using our new Air Fryer Oil for flavor. 
  • Carrots: These crunchy orange delights contain beta carotene that the body can convert into vitamin A. Coat with Pure Avocado Oil and a light dusting of cinnamon before roasting in the oven or toss them in a stir-fry with chicken, Chinese broccoli, and bamboo shoots for a pop of natural sweetness. 
  • Beets: Fall is the perfect time to turn up the beet! Roast red or white beets with a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and sprinkle with goat cheese for an easy side dish or add them to our Autumn Salad with Poppyseed Dressing.
Closeup on a bowl of squash soup with pumpkin seeds, herbs, and croutons on top.

Squashes Worth Savoring

Squash might just be the official mascot of fall cooking, with a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors regularly appearing on seasonal tables.

  • Butternut Squash: This sweet, nutty squash can do it all. Roast butternut squash with maple syrup, puree it into a soup, or spiralize it into veggie noodles for a lower-carb pasta alternative. Serve with No-Dairy Alfredo Sauce for a creamy dinner that’s equal parts comfort and joy.
  • Acorn Squash: With its petite size and mild flavor, acorn squash is perfect for roasting and stuffing. Fill it with a handmade kale salad tossed with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette and you’ve got a festive Stuffed Squash recipe that’s almost too pretty to eat (but you will anyway).
  • Delicata Squash: This squash is as simple as it gets — no peeling required! Slice it into rings and roast it with a little olive oil sprinkled with sea salt. The thin skin crisps up beautifully, making it a quick and easy addition to salads and veggie medleys.
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad in a white bowl, with two spoons. Primal Kitchen Mayo in background..

Cole Crops & Leafy Greens

Cruciferous vegetables (also called "cole crops" and brassicas) may sound intimidating, but they’re more familiar than you might think. Examples include kale, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cabbage, and cauliflower. These crops thrive in cooler temperatures, so fall is their time to shine.

  • Brussels sprouts: Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts are a fall classic, and they’re even better when smashed and roasted until the edges crisp up. They also contain fiber and vitamin K, so it’s no surprise Mom encouraged eating them.
  • Cauliflower: Whether you’re roasting, mashing, or ricing it, cauliflower is endlessly versatile. Try making Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower with Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing for extra flavor, or cut it into “steaks” for an easy roasted dish that you can load with your favorite toppings.
  • Kale: Kale grows well in the cooler seasons, which means it’s sweeter and more tender in the fall. Massage Primal Kitchen Green Goddess Dressing into a kale salad, or toss the leafy greens into soups and skillet meals.
Apple Walnut Salad in a bowl.

Harvest Fruits

While most melons and berries are picked in the warmer months, other fruits like apples, pears, and cranberries are at their peak in fall through winter. Whether you poach them in wine, slice them up for a buffet, or bake them with sweet potatoes, fall fruits make rainy (or snowy) days spent at home with family even sweeter. 

  • Apples: If you’re lucky enough to live near an orchard, apple picking is a great family-friendly activity for fall. Air fry sliced apples with a little oil, cinnamon, and your sweetener of choice for a simple dessert you can top with yogurt. For a more savory bite, pop them in an apple slaw tossed in Poppyseed Dressing or whip up this easy Apple Walnut Salad. 
  • Pears: Juicy and subtly sweet, pears are delicious in everything from salads to desserts. Serve pear slices with a cheese board, tuck them into crepes alongside dark chocolate chips, or dish up a harvest bowl with our Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. 
  • Cranberries: Containing antioxidants and vitamin C, cranberries are a holiday favorite. They’re not just for sauce to accompany your turkey, though. Bake them into muffins, add them to a fall salad, or just enjoy the sweet and creamy taste of our limited-edition Cranberry Mayo in leftover turkey sandwiches and casseroles.
A tray of root vegetables on an orange background.

Fall in Love with Real Food

With a Primal lifestyle, eating seasonally is key—not only because our ancestors ate this way, but also because you can enjoy real foods at peak nutrition and flavor. 

Whether you’re toasting veggies, blending up soups, or biting into seasonal fruit fresh from the farm stand, fall’s bountiful harvest adds more color to your plate and your life. Don’t forget to grab your favorite Primal Kitchen sauces to enhance every bite of fall fruits and vegetables with purposeful ingredients and real, delicious flavor!

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