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What to cook in October: Hearty meals for Halloween night

Prep for trick-or-treating with recipes that are easy to make, fun for kids and perfect for a chilly evening.

Prep for trick-or-treating with recipes that are easy to make, fun for kids and perfect for a chilly evening

Jamey Ordolis · CBC Life ·
3 overhead food images. Left to right: a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs; hands holding a bowl of dal and rice; a bowl with chicken, hummus and roasted potatoes.
(Photo, left to right: David Bagosy, Dhivya Subramanian, Amina Al-Saigh)

October is here, which means one of the biggest events of the year is almost upon us — trick-or-treating on Halloween night. What do you cook when you need to get everyone energized for an evening of roaming the chilly streets, collecting candy and dodging ghosts (or, you know, fog machines)? You want something that's simple and not too heavy, but still feels like a treat. At my house, spaghetti bolognese was always the pre-game go-to for All Hallows' Eve. It's cosy, carby and the kind of dish that says, "Grab a bowl, eat up and let's get moving!"

In the spirit of keeping things low-maintenance and kid-friendly, we've rounded up our favourite Halloween night recipes, including plenty of weeknight staples like sheet pan dinners, rice and pasta dishes, plus some make-ahead meals. They'll also be ideal for the entire month of October, since this time of year is all about grabbing something hearty and getting outside as much as possible before the real cold arrives. And for all you falliday fans, we've got the gourds, too: a few pumpkin and squash recipes to add to your menus.

Spaghetti and Meatballs 

Overhead shot of a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs next to a pot of the sauce.
(Photo: David Bagosy, Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Skillet Lasagna with an Easy Everyday Tomato Sauce 

A skillet on a grey wood surface. The skillet is filled with a cooked lasagna with melted cheese and dollops of ricotta cheese on top.
(Photo: David Bagosy, Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Meatballs with Mixed Vegetables and Tahini-Yogurt Sauce 

Overhead shot of a sheet pan with meatballs, roasted vegetables, pitas and a small bowl of yogurt tahini sauce.
(Photography by Amina Al-Saigh)

Za'atar Orange Chicken and Potatoes 

Overhead shot of a white pot with cooked chicken drumsticks and potatoes. A drinking glass and a bowl with the chicken sit next to the pot.
(Photography by Amina Al-Saigh)

One-Pot Chickpea Curry

Overhead shot of 2 plates of Chickpea Curry with Spinach. One person's hands are dishing some of the curry onto a plate from a pot. A second person's hands are holding naan and a spoonful of curry over the second plate.
(Photography by Dhivya Subramanian)

French Onion Soup Pasta — and Handpies 

side by side of 2 images. left: overhead shot of three handpies on a baking sheet, on top of a wire cooling rack, sitting on a marble surface. right: overhead shot of a bowl of short pasta topped with onions and cheese, sitting on a marble surface.
(Photography by Aviva Wittenberg)

Chicken Shawarma Bowls with Crispy Potatoes 

Chicken Shawarma Bowl with hummus, potatoes and a salad on top.
(Photography by: Amina Al-Saigh)

Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs 

Overhead shot of dark green Dutch oven with a batch of Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs in it. Chunks of pineapple are visible. A wooden spoon sits in the dish. It's sitting on a wooden cutting board on a beige countertop with water glasses and a kitchen towel.
(Photography by Carmen Cheung)

Cauliflower Cheese Pasta 

2 images side by side. Left: Jamie Oliver standing at a wooden countertop with a plate of Cauliflower Cheese Pasta in front of him. Right: overhead closeup shot of a plate of Cauliflower Cheese Pasta.
(Photo: Jamie’s Easy Meals for Every Day)

Zucchini Dal

Overhead shot of 2 plates of zucchini dal with rice, sitting on a pink tiled surface.
(Photography by Dhivya Subramanian)

Root Vegetable Stew with Rosemary Garlic Baguette 

Overhead shot of a red dutch oven with a root vegetable stew on a wooden surface. 2 bowls of the stew and a plate with sliced bread sit next to the dutch oven.
(Photo credit: Dennis The Prescott)

Misir Wot 

overhead shot of a bowl of lentil stew with a small bowl of spices sitting next to it. a plate with flatbread (injera) sits next to that.
(Photography by DL Acken)

Chicken Pot Pie

2 images side by side. Left: Chef Dwight Smith in a kitchen, facing the camera and holding a plate of chicken pot pie. He's holding a forkful of it toward the camera. Right: closeup on a plate of the chicken pot pie on a wooden table.
(Photography by Dwight Smith)

Vegetable Biryani 

Overhead shot of a serving plate of biryani on a grey surface. The rice is golden and green beans, carrots, fried onions and cilantro are visible on top. A wooden spoon sits in the rice.
(Photography by Leila Ashtari)

Basque-Style Bean and Kale Stew 

Overhead shot of a shallow bowl of stew with ham, black beans and kale on a dark grey background.
(Photography by Ed Anderson)

Chicken Cacciatore Sheet Pan Dinner 

Overhead shot of a sheet pan with roasted chicken thighs, tomatoes, and pieces of mushrooms, red pepper and onion on it. It's sitting on a grey wooden surface with the fresh ingredients scattered around the pan.
(Photo: David Bagosy; Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Delicata Squash and Italian Sausage Bake 

Overhead shot of a sheet pan on a dark grey surface. Slices of roasted delicata squash, onion, pieces of sausage and roasted rapini are on the pan.
(Photography by Betty Binon)

Delicata Squash and Mushroom Tart 

A rectangular tart with slices of delicata squash on it sitting on a dark grey surface. A slice of the tart is sitting on a small wooden plate.
(Photography by Betty Binon)

Brown Rice, Chicken and Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Garlic Tahini Dressing 

A beige bowl filled with Brown Rice, Chicken and Butternut Squash Salad on a beige surface. A rotisserie chicken sits on the left of the image and a stack on plates on the right.
(Photography by Gabriel Cabrera)

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Overhead shot of a pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream on a wooden table. A slice of the pie is sitting on a black plate.
(Photography by Betty Binon)

Half-Made Home-Made Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

Overhead shot of an ice cream pie in a clear pie plate sitting on a wooden cutting board. It's on a grey wooden table with mini white pumpkins around it.
(The Goods)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jamey Ordolis

Jamey Ordolis is the senior producer of CBC Life.

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