Best autumn recipes to cook now: From hasselback butternut squash to deep-dish apple pie

There’s a certain kind of magic in cooking this time of year – when the markets are full of knobbly roots, crisp apples and late-season squashes, and the air feels cool enough to turn the oven back on. The autumn table is one of abundance, not austerity: comforting but fresh, with flavours that nod to the season without tipping into early-Christmas excess.

This collection celebrates exactly that. From Joe Woodhouse’s hasselback butternut squash – a vegan showstopper of caramelised edges and nutty crunch – to Emma Hatcher’s crisp chicken, apple and celeriac salad, these are recipes that suit every sort of day, whether you’re in the mood for something hearty or something light.

There’s Ed Smith’s roasted chicory and jerusalem artichokes with dill butter beans, which makes a lovely warm salad for lunch or supper; and a sticky aubergine and mushroom soba noodle bowl that’s perfect for those chilly weeknights when you want something deeply savoury but simple to pull together. Pork escalopes with green apple and fennel slaw make a quick midweek winner, while Lisa Faulkner’s deep-dish apple pie is everything you want in a Sunday bake – buttery, golden and layered with spiced fruit.

And for dessert? Benjamina Ebuehi’s clementine and pistachio pavlovas are ready in minutes but look like you’ve made an effort, while Liberty Mendez’s toffee apple sheet cake might just be the only thing better than the fairground kind. Even the humble sandwich gets an upgrade with a pork, apple and mustard sarnie that’s as good at the desk as it is in front of the fire.

In short: the season of comfort is here – and these recipes are made for it.

Hasselback butternut squash with chestnuts, pecans and green sauce

Created by chef, photographer and author Joe Woodhouse, this hasselback butternut squash with chestnuts, pecans and green sauce makes a mouthwatering vegan centrepiece to serve up for a special lunch, and is a perfect choice for Christmas. “Hasselbacking (slicing, basically!) results in plenty of caramelised edges and succulent sections to portion out,” says Joe. “It’s a real showstopper, too, so everyone will want to get stuck in – vegan or not!”

Serves: 6

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash (1-1.2kg), halved lengthways, deseeded

100ml olive oil, plus 4½ tbsp

3 onions, quartered

150g cooked peeled chestnuts, crushed or roughly chopped

100g pecans, crushed or roughly chopped

25g curly parsley, finely chopped

25g mint, leaves picked and finely chopped, plus extra to serve (optional)

1 unwaxed lemon, zested and juiced, plus extra wedges to serve (optional)

50g capers, drained and finely chopped

20g flat-leaf parsley sprigs, to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lay the squash halves, cut-side down, on a board. Carefully slice widthways at 1cm intervals, all along the length, being careful not to cut all the way through. (One way to do this is to lie each squash half cut-side down and place a wooden spoon either side of it: the knife will hit the spoons, preventing you from cutting all the way down.)

2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large roasting tin and place the squash halves in it, cut-side down (don’t worry if any sections come apart, just place them back together). Dot the onions around the tin, drizzle with another 2 tablespoons of oil, season and roast for 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, put the chestnuts and pecans in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoons of oil and a pinch of salt; mix well.

4. Scatter the nut mixture over the squash; return to the oven for 10 minutes or until crisp.

5. For the sauce, in a small bowl, mix the finely chopped curly parsley and mint with the lemon zest and juice, oil and capers. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

6. Put the squash on a platter with the onions (and lemon wedges and a scattering of flat-leaf parsley and mint, if using). Finish with a grind of black pepper and the sauce spooned over. Store leftovers chilled in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Chicken salad with apple and celeriac

Whether you’re taking lunch to work or want an easy eat-at-home option, this assembly-style chicken, cabbage, celeriac and apple salad is fast and flavour-packed. It was created by Emma Hatcher – cook and author of The FODMAP Friendly Kitchen Cookbook – who says, “This simple salad is crisp, tangy and textured. The apple adds a little tartness and the shredded cabbage gives a nod to a slaw, while wholegrain mustard provides that necessary oomph. All you need to do is a bit of chopping and a little shaking.”

Serves: 2

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

¼ white cabbage (100g), cored and finely shredded

½ Granny Smith apple (50g), cored and thinly sliced

100g celeriac, peeled and cut into matchsticks

70g mixed salad leaves

15g chives, finely chopped

15g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

½ lemon, juiced, plus 1 tbsp juice

2 roast chicken breast fillets, skin removed, shredded

1 tbsp mixed seeds, toasted

2 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard

2 tsp maple syrup (approx)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Put the cabbage, apple, celeriac, salad leaves and half the chives and parsley in a large bowl. Add the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and toss well.

2. To make the dressing, put the mustard, maple syrup, olive oil and remaining lemon juice into a clean lidded jar, seal and shake to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper; adjust the sweetness with a little more maple syrup, if liked.

3. Divide the cabbage mix between 2 plates or lunchboxes and top with the chicken, mixed seeds and remaining chives and parsley. If serving straight away, drizzle over the dressing; otherwise, pack it in a separate container until needed – this will avoid soggy leaves. Keep chilled until ready to serve and eat within 2 days.

Sticky aubergine with mushroom soba noodles

Aubergine flesh is great at taking on all the flavours that it's cooked with. Here, it goes in the pan with oyster, soy and fish sauces as well as mirin, and is cooked until soft for a deeply savoury result. Shiitake mushrooms and purple sprouting broccoli add some colour and extra nutrition, while soba noodles make the dish filling enough to be a satisfying dinner.

Serves: 6

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tbsp sesame oil

2 aubergines, peeled and diced into rough 2cm cubes

4 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp mirin

3 red chillies, finely sliced

3cm ginger, peeled and finely grated

200g shiitake mushrooms, sliced

200g purple sprouting broccoli

100g baby spinach

1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced

200g soba noodles

1 tsp black sesame seeds

1 handful coriander, leaves only

3 cloves garlic, finely grated

Method:

1. Heat a large sauté pan or wok with the sesame oil over a high heat. When it’s hot, whoosh it round the pan and add the aubergine. Toss quickly so the oil coats all of the aubergine, not just one side. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring regularly, for 6 minutes until it just starts to soften and brown.

2. Add the oyster, soy and fish sauces along with the mirin, and stir to coat the aubergine. Reduce the heat to low and add 2 chillies, garlic and ginger. Mix well and keep cooking over a low heat for another 10 minutes. By this point the aubergine should be soft and coated in the dark, sticky sauce.

3. Add the mushrooms and broccoli. Cook for 5-6 minutes until they start to soften. Add the spinach and spring onions, and stir through. Leave on the lowest heat for 2 more minutes to allow all the flavours to mingle.

4. Cook the soba noodles according to the packet instructions (usually simmering for 4 or 5 minutes). Drain well before adding to the aubergine. Flick and shake the pan to incorporate the noodles.

5. Transfer to a big serving bowl and finish with a final flourish of chilli, coriander leaves and black sesame seeds. Excellent to slurp up with chopsticks.

Deep-dish apple pie

“The deep buttery crust on this deep-dish apple pie allows for layer upon layer of tender apple,” says Celebrity MasterChef winner Lisa Faulkner.

Serves: 8

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

375g plain flour, plus extra to dust

225g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed, plus extra for the dish

2kg Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced

150g demerara sugar, plus ½ tbsp

1 heaped tsp vanilla bean paste

1 lemon, zested and juiced

50g ground almonds

2 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp semolina

1 egg, beaten

500g custard, to serve (optional)

Method:

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter and a pinch of salt to crumbs. Add 4 tablespoons of ice-cold water; pulse to a dough. (Or use a bowl: rub in the butter with your fingers; incorporate the water 1 tablespoon at a time, working into a dough.) Divide and shape into 2 discs (one slightly bigger); wrap and chill for 30 mins.

2. On a floured surface, roll out the bigger disc to 5mm thick and use to line a deep-sided 25 cm pie dish; trim.

3. Toss the apple slices with the sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, almonds and cornflour.

4. Sprinkle the pastry base with semolina, then fill with the apple mixture (drain first, if needed).

5. Roll out the remaining pastry. Brush the pie rim with egg; pop on the lid and pinch to seal. Brush the lid with egg and make a small slit in the centre. Sprinkle with the extra sugar; freeze for 20-30 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm with custard, if liked.

Tip: Allow extra time for chilling and freezing.

Balsamic roast chicory and jerusalem artichokes with dill butter beans

A deliciously bitter-sweet combination cooked up by author and food writer Ed Smith, this salad of balsamic roast chicory and Jerusalem artichokes with dill butter beans can be eaten warm or cold. Roasting brings out the veggies’ natural sweetness – use parsnips in place of the jerusalem artichokes if you prefer.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

450g jerusalem artichokes, halved lengthways

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ tsp sea salt

140g red chicory, halved or quartered if large

160g baby chicory

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 (600g) jar butter beans

1 handful dill sprigs

120g feta

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. In a large roasting tin, toss the jerusalem artichokes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and a pinch of the sea salt. Spread them out in a single layer, cut-side down, and roast for 30 minutes until starting to colour.

2. Meanwhile, put both types of chicory in a mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon each of oil and balsamic.

3. After the 30 minutes, add the chicory to the tin and cook for 10 minutes more or until the jerusalem artichokes are looking blistered.

4. Meanwhile, warm the beans and their liquid in a pan over a medium heat. Remove to a platter with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle over the rest of the salt and most of the dill; drizzle over 1 tablespoon of oil and top with the veg.

5. Crumble over the feta and finish with the remaining dill. Leftovers will keep in a chilled airtight container for 1-2 days – enjoy cold.

Pork escalopes with green apple and fennel slaw

The zippy salad is a vibrant side in these purse-friendly pork escalopes with green apple and fennel slaw from food stylist and writer Sophie Austen-Smith. For a super-quick slaw, the fennel and apple is grated – plus, if you’ve got a couple of stale white loaf-ends knocking about, you can roughly grate them to make your own breadcrumbs.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

500g salad potatoes

4 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp extra

100 g white breadcrumbs

4 pork loin steaks

2 tbsp dijon mustard, plus a little extra (optional)

1 fennel bulb

1 Granny Smith apple, quartered and cored

1 lemon, juiced

150g mixed leaf salad

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain; leave to steam dry. Toss with 1 teaspoon of oil and a little seasoning.

2. Put the breadcrumbs on a plate. Place the pork steaks between 2 sheets of baking paper and bash with a meat tenderiser (or rolling pin) to 1-1.5cm thick. Coat all over with the mustard, then the breadcrumbs.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the pork for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet; keep warm in the oven.

4. At the last minute, grate the fennel (reserve the fronds) and apple (use the grater’s slicing edge) into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and the rest of the oil; mix. Toss through the salad leaves and fennel fronds; season to taste.

5. Serve the crispy pork with the potatoes and slaw, plus a little more mustard if you like.

Clementine and pistachio mini pavlovas

If you’re after a super-simple, speedy and delicious way to round off a meal, these clementine and pistachio mini pavlovas from cookbook writer and Bake Off star Benjamina Ebuehi tick all the boxes. “You can have these on the table in just 15 minutes,” says Benjamina. “Adding greek yoghurt to the cream lightens things up, while the citrus adds a lovely sharpness. I like to serve them in a 'wreath' shape for maximum effect.”

Serves: 8

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 clementines

2 tsp caster sugar

2 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau

300ml double cream

200g Greek yoghurt, stirred to loosen

2 tbsp lemon curd

8 meringue nests

30g pistachios, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Using a small, sharp knife, slice the ends off the clementines, then stand them upright and slice downwards to remove the peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Cut out the segments and place in a shallow dish.

2. Sprinkle over the sugar and liqueur, then leave to macerate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks with a whisk; use a spatula to fold through the yoghurt. Fold in the lemon curd, so it streaks the mixture.

3. Build the dessert just before serving: arrange the meringue nests on a platter in a ring (or any shape you like) and divide the cream mixture between them. Top each one with a few clementine segments and some of the boozy syrup from the dish; sprinkle over the pistachios and serve straight away.

Pork, apple and mustard sarnie

For a hearty lunch, try this pork, apple and mustard sarnie, which combines sweet apple, juicy ham and mustardy heat, all stuffed into a fluffy focaccia. The pork puffs are optional but add crispy wow factor.

Serves: 2

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

100g ready-cooked pulled ham

½ tsp dijon mustard

¼ white cabbage, shredded

½ tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp apple sauce

¼ lemon, finely zested

2 panini

1 (25g) pack pork puffs, such as The Curators (optional)

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine the ham with the mustard and some salt and pepper.

2. In a separate bowl, toss the shredded cabbage with the mayo, apple sauce, lemon zest and some salt and pepper to make a slaw.

3. Lightly toast the panini. Divide the slaw, ham mixture and a few pork puffs (if using) between the panini bottom halves, then top with the lids. Cut in half and tuck in.

Toffee apple sheet cake

“If you’re feeding a crowd, a traybake makes a great grab-and-go-mingle treat,” says chef and food writer Liberty Mendez, who whipped up this toffee apple sheet cake. With its nutty spelt flour, toffee apple flavours, rich swiss meringue buttercream and touch of golden glimmer, this one will go down a treat with all ages – making it perfect for a big family bash.

Serves: 15

Prep time: 45 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

150ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin

200g full-fat Greek yoghurt

3 large eggs, plus 2 large egg whites

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

350g caster sugar

150g soft light brown sugar

150g white spelt flour

150g self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt flakes

4 apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped into 1.5 cm chunks

1 lemon, juiced

200g unsalted butter, cubed, soft

100g caramel sauce, plus extra to drizzle over

1 handful milk chocolate gold pearls, to decorate (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil a 22 cm x 33 cm deep baking tin, then line with 2 sheets of baking paper in opposite directions, leaving an overhang so it’s easier to lift the cake out once baked.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, yoghurt, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste, 150g caster sugar and all the brown sugar until combined.

3. Sift in the spelt and self-raising flours, bicarb, baking powder and salt; fold in with a spatula to make a smooth batter. Stir in half the chopped apples. Scrape the batter into the lined tin, smooth into an even layer and bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make the stewed apples by putting the remaining apple chunks, 50g caster sugar and lemon juice into a pan over a high heat. Simmer for 8 mins, until the liquid has evaporated and the apples are soft and sticky. Remove from the pan into a bowl and leave to cool completely.

5. For the swiss meringue buttercream, fill a small pan with 3cm of water; bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Put the egg whites and remaining 150g sugar into a heatproof bowl, set over the pan (don’t let the water touch the bowl) and stir with a balloon whisk or spatula for 4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved.

6. Remove from the heat and beat with an electric whisk for 4-5 minutes, until you have a thick meringue. Gradually whisk in the cubed butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting until completely incorporated before adding the next, until you have a thick buttercream. 
Be patient – it may not thicken until the last spoonful (about 4 minutes). Whisk in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla paste and the caramel sauce.

7. To serve, put the apple sponge onto a serving plate, spoon the buttercream on top and swirl it across the cake so it’s covered in billowy icing. Place spoonfuls of the stewed apples onto the buttercream, and dot it with the chocolate pearls, if using; drizzle over extra caramel sauce (you may need to heat it slightly if it’s too thick). Cut the cake into squares and invite everybody to get stuck in.

Tips:

Choc apple pops

A tasty spin on toffee apples, choc apple pops are lower in sugar but still big on fun – and ideal at any time of year. They’re child-friendly, adult-approved and easily customised with your favourite toppings.

Makes: 7

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

4 eating apples, cut into 7 x 1 cm-thick slices

90g milk chocolate, melted

1 (10g) pack dried strawberries, such The Giving Tree Freeze-dried Strawberry Crispies for Kids, lightly crushed

2 tbsp low-sugar granola, lightly crushed

Method:

1. Pat the apple slices dry on both sides with kitchen towel. Insert a cocktail stick into each slice.

2. Dip each slice in melted chocolate, let the excess drip off, then immediately sprinkle with crushed strawberries and the oats.

3. Leave to set on a tray lined with baking paper (pop in the fridge if you like).