Fall Harvest, Bold Flavors: Gluten-Free Recipes to Celebrate the Season

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By Molly Winsten, MS, RD

Sept 2025

 

Ahh, September is here. The mornings have just a hint of fall in them. Spiced coffee drinks abound; Halloween stores start popping up. And within all this, we have what for many is the BEST part of fall – the seasonal foods.

Even with the official start of fall being a few weeks away, we are already thinking about true fall foods and all the wonderful gluten-free recipes we can make with them! This article will talk about fall produce, traditional dishes, spices, and even ethnic ideas to vary your fall cuisine!

We know fall includes everything pumpkin, but there are so many other fruits and vegetables that come with the fall harvest. In addition to the aforementioned pumpkin, other root vegetables are harvested in the fall, including parsnips, carrots, squash, and beets. Cruciferous vegetables are also in season in the fall, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage. Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collards, and spices including cinnamon and nutmeg round out the fall team!

While fall produce and baking with warm spices are always a treat, one of our favorite parts of the season is finding creative ways to use all that gluten-free produce! We have rounded up some great recipes for you, starting with spaghetti squash. It gets its name from the long “strands” it pulls into after it cooks. It’s also super easy to prepare!

 Spaghetti Squash Recipe

  1. Slice into one-inch rounds (skin on and everything),
  2. Scoop out the seeds
  3. Place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil
  4. Bake @ 375 for 45 minutes to an hour.
  5. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes
  6. Scrape with a fork to get those “spaghetti” like strands!

Flavor Options:

  • Sweet: Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg before baking. Drizzle with maple syrup to serve.
  • Savory: Add salt and pepper before baking. Use with tomato sauce, cheese, or cooked protein.

Brussels sprouts are also an amazing fall harvest veggie. They can be prepared many different ways, and are a stunning side dish to add to any meal! I also love using them as an appetizer – here is my favorite recipe! It even won a national holiday recipe contest! This Sriracha Brussels sprouts recipe constantly surprises you. It’s crispy, easy to eat, and totally shareable, yet it’s a vegetable! The recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo, and it can be vegan if you use vegan mayo!

Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

  • 16 fresh Brussels sprouts (about 1 lb.), trimmed and halved
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Place Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Drizzle with oil and 1 tsp chili sauce: sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt and pepper.
  4. Toss to coat and roast until crispy (20-25 minutes).
  5. Mix mayo, lime juice, and remaining 1-3 tsp of chili sauce, ¼ tsp of salt, and ¼ tsp of pepper.
  6. Drizzle lemon juice over the sprouts before serving with the aioli.

Our last piece of produce to feature before getting into some of the fall Spices is the often-underutilized “parsnip.” A root vegetable of close relation to carrots and parsley. It has a sweet and nutty flavor that only deepens when cooked! Add these as a roasted side dish, mash as a potato replacement, or add to your favorite fall Soup for depth of flavor!

Health benefits of parsnips include:

  • Micronutrients such as vitamin C
  • Folate and potassium
  • And are a good source of fiber as well!

Now let’s talk SPICES!

Pumpkin spice may sound like a gimmick, but it’s actually made up of a variety of warming flavors such as:

  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Allspice
  • Ginger
  • Cloves

While these spices are very common in baked goods and sweets in the US, they also provide flavor and nutrition to many savory dishes around the world. These include Curries, Soups, and Stews.

A few examples include:

  • Lentil dal – an Indian lentil-based stew that uses lots of aromatics and warming spices.
  • Tagine – a Moroccan dish that uses many warming spices and cooks a stew-like mixture slowly.
  • Mole – a rich Mexican sauce with a complex flavor profile.

All of these dishes, and more, use the wonders of warm spices particularly available in the fall, and can really open up one’s palate. Integrating these flavors into your everyday food options is a great way to celebrate fall!