The 30 Best Things to Cook This November

updated Nov 2, 2020

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Credit: Joe Lingeman
Classic Mashed Potatoes

It feels impossible to think about November and food without almost immediately envisioning Thanksgiving dinner. But as with nearly everything else, this year feels so different for so many reasons. I won’t be cooking a large dinner and sitting around the table with my extended family and friends. Instead, this year we’ll be having a tiny dinner at home with my favorite pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes (because there’s nothing more comforting right now), a pretty cabbage slaw, and easy single-serve no-bake cheesecakes for dessert. If you do make a turkey, you should absolutely turn that carcass into a rich stock, which is basically liquid gold.

As we move deeper into fall and closer to winter, we’ve been putting a little more effort into weekend breakfasts, as we find ourselves in less of a hurry to step outside into the cold morning air. This month feels just right for an apple and sausage egg casserole and apple Dutch baby, or even a batch of biscuits. When it comes to weeknight dinners, though, we’re all about sticking with reliable options that are quick, easy, and preferably come together with a single pot, pan, or skillet to minimize dishwashing.

From mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce to no-bake pumpkin cheesecake and snickerdoodles, here are 30 of our favorite recipes to inspire your cooking all month long.

1 / 29

Roasted Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

When you're not sure what to do with that butternut squash on your counter, turn it into a big pan of wholesome enchiladas. This version is made with roasted winter squash, corn, and black beans, then topped with greens.

2 / 29

Apple, Sausage, and Smoked Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

Everyone needs a good breakfast casserole for the weekend, and this is the one to make now since you've surely got some apples in the kitchen.

3 / 29

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

There's nothing our Interim Executive Editor, Carey, wants to bake more this month than oatmeal cookies loaded with pumpkin spice and plenty of chocolate chips.

4 / 29

Crisp Tuna-Cabbage Salad

Food Editor Kelli bought a big head of cabbage with this tuna salad in mind. "I love the crunch-factor from mixing shredded cabbage into my regular tuna salad, plus it means I can stretch a single can of tuna into three, sometimes four, sandwiches."

5 / 29

Gnocchi Lasagna with Spinach, White Beans, and Sausage

This crowd-pleasing casserole is surprisingly light and fresh, thanks to the addition of spinach and white beans. Use plant-based sausage instead of pork sausage to make it vegetarian.

6 / 29

One-Pot Weeknight Beef Stroganoff

We all need easy, comforting dinners right now, and this is one we should all add to our meal plans. The combination of tender noodles, ground beef, and mushrooms all cooked together in a creamy, comforting sauce is wonderfully satisfying.

7 / 29

Cheesy Lentil, Mushroom & Rice Bake

This comforting meat-free casserole is at the top of Lifestyle Director Lisa's list of recipes to make this month. It works as a side or main dish, and makes a good vegetarian Thanksgiving option.

8 / 29

Easy Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

If you find yourself with turkey leftovers later this month (or leftover rotisserie chicken!), go ahead and put them to work in this quick and easy pot pie.

9 / 29

Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

"This remains my all-time favorite pork tenderloin," says Food Editor Kelli. It's easy enough for a weeknight dinner and feels special enough to serve on Thanksgiving if you want something other than turkey.

10 / 29

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Food Editor-at-Large, Christine, is jumping enthusiastically on the pumpkin train! These creamy bars are the way-easier cousin to a full-sized cheesecake, and always a hit with friends and family.

11 / 29

Thanksgiving Slaw

This crunchy slaw is a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving spread, but don't reserve it for one day a year. This is one to make all year long.

12 / 29

Roasted Delicata Squash

You'll find Managing Editor, Lauren Kodiak, making roasted delicata on repeat all month long, and adding it to salads, grain bowls, pasta, and basically everything else she eats.

13 / 29

If you ask Editor-in-Chief, Faith, this rich, golden stock is the best reason to cook a turkey.

14 / 29

Roasted Cabbage Slaw with Hazelnuts & Lemon

A quick flash under the broiler gives this mellow slaw a smoky sweetness.

15 / 29

Weekend Apple Pancake

If you cook just one thing for breakfast this month, let it be this Dutch baby layered with caramelized apples. I promise, you won't regret it.

16 / 29

No-Bake Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you don't quite have it in you to bake dessert for Thanksgiving, go ahead and put this creamy, no-bake pumpkin treat at the top of your list.

17 / 29

Classic Mashed Potatoes

Whether it's for Thanksgiving or a weekend dinner, putting a bowl of buttery, creamy mashed potatoes on the table is a must this month.

18 / 29

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Meghan's recent biscuit showdown inspired Studio Food Editor Jesse to get in the kitchen and make biscuits. And of course, he plans to start with her recipe.

19 / 29

Easy Cranberry Sauce

Food Editor Kelli plans on making a double batch of this orange-spiked cranberry sauce. She'll serve it on Thanksgiving, but mostly she's excited to stock her freezer with ample leftovers, then use it as a topping for oatmeal, yogurt, toast, and muffins.

20 / 29

Creamy Polenta with Mushroom Ragù

If you've been craving healthy comfort food, like Senior Contributing Food Editor, Sheela, join her in adding this creamy polenta dish to your dinner roster.

21 / 29

Instant Pot Yogurt

Deputy Food Director, Grace, is all about making her own yogurt this month. She says, "My mom just bought an Instant Pot, and she's inspiring me to start putting mine to use again. Of course I'm excited about soups and stews for the chilly weather, but I also want to make homemade yogurt in it! Thick and tangy yogurt + a warmly-spiced homemade granola = fall breakfast perfection."

22 / 29

Classic Minestrone Soup

As much as Contributing Editor, Patty, loves baking in the fall, she's most excited about cooking up a big pot of minestrone soup this month. It's a family favorite, and she plans to serve it up for dinner with hunks of crusty bread rubbed with garlic.

23 / 29

Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

Studio Food Editor Amelia loves cruciferous veggies. She says this is a great salad to make for any time, but also as a Thanksgiving side.

24 / 29

Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Gnocchi

We could all use this 3-ingredient dinner in our meal plans this month. The recipe calls for sweet potato gnocchi, although you could easily swap in kale or cauliflower gnocchi.

25 / 29

The Bourbon Hot Toddy

Features Director, Arie, is staying with her parents in Minnesota for a couple of months for the holidays and pegged this as her signature cocktail for the trip. It’s a great we’re-stuck-at-home-and-it’s-freezing-outside cocktail.

26 / 29

Super-Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

If you're ready to get a head-start on holiday baking, this is one of our favorite cookies to start with.

27 / 29

Pasta with Leeks, Fennel, Tomatoes, and Guanciale

Lifestyle Editor, Lauren Masur, has been leaning extra hard into cozy pastas recently. And a lingering fennel bulb in her fridge moved this team favorite to the top of her must-cook list.

28 / 29

Fall Harvest Freekeh Salad

"My pandemic eating feels like one comfort food dish after another, and it’s frankly just not comforting anymore", says Production Editor, Tracey. So she's turning to "robust" salads like this one for lunch. With pecans, dried cherries, butternut squash, apples, kale, and black beans, there's something fun and different in every bite.

29 / 29

Creamy Mac and Cheese

It only takes 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to whip up the absolute creamiest mac and cheese.

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