"From hot apple cider to pumpkin spice everything and decadent soups, fall means it’s time to bring out all your favorite comfort meals and family recipes. But fall also means a more sedentary lifestyle and dining scenarios less than ideal for maintaining gut health (see: holiday food, comfort foods, and sugary drinks like PSLs on repeat). While an indulgence here and there is good for you (joy is a nutrient, too!), consistently eating the popular foods of the season is sure to disturb your gut health.
The good news: You can DIY warming, comforting, and delicious fall foods and cozy meals that can actually improve your gut instead of wrecking it. I’ve scoured the internet for cozy, fall recipes you are sure to crave this season that are packed with ingredients that can improve digestion, ease inflammation, and encourage regularity. Read on for 21 recipes to enjoy this fall that are gut-healthy and will satisfy what you’re craving this season.
Meals and Sides
1. Thai Pumpkin Soup
While the artificial flavoring you know in pumpkin pies or lattes is packed with added sugar that may cause inflammation in the gut, real pumpkin is high in fiber and prebiotics that are beneficial for digestion. This silky, rich Thai pumpkin soup is filled with rich spices and hearty vegetables. Add chili pepper for an added kick (and added health benefits).
2. Chicken and Chickpea Curry
Looking for a spicier meal to warm you up this season? Try this chicken and chickpea curry for a nutrition-filled take on the classic dish. Chickpeas are high in a soluble fiber called raffinose, which slows down digestion, leading to a healthier digestive tract and blood sugar. Studies have found that eating more chickpeas can help make bowel movements easier and more regular. Serve this dish over rice or swap for cauliflower rice for a more digestible option.
3. Miso Ramen
Ramen is a cold-weather classic, but when you make it with miso, it’s also gut-healthy. Miso is a fermented paste that originated in China thousands of years ago. Because of the fermentation process, miso contains probiotics that can help maintain healthy bacteria levels in the gut. Get ready to cuddle up with a large bowl of this miso ramen for those chilly fall nights.
4. Sautéed Zucchini
Zucchini is a great go-to for warming, delicious side dishes, and it’s also good for digestion. For one, zucchini is rich in water, which is essential for proper digestion, and it also contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which can reduce the risk of bloating and constipation.
5. Tamari Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
I always have to have a snack laid out for grazing, and these toasted pumpkin seeds are the perfect pairing for a pumpkin carving girl’s night in or a scary movie night. Pumpkin seeds are full of nutrients including magnesium, which can help relax the muscles of the digestive tract to promote regularity, and they’re high in fiber, making them the perfect gut-healthy snack for fall. As a bonus, the tamari seasoning makes this salty snack friendly to gluten sensitivities.
6. Sun-Dried Tomato and Chicken Pasta
One of the most common causes of gut symptoms and digestive drama for many people is consuming dairy. According to MedlinePlus, about 30 million American adults develop some degree of lactose intolerance by age 20. If dairy does cause symptoms like bloating, stomach pain, or diarrhea, try this dairy-free pasta next time you’re craving a hearty pasta dish. The creaminess of the blended cashews with the intense flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes makes for a perfect pairing. Bonus points: Use a healthier pasta alternative for added health benefits.
7. Chicken Goat Cheese Pasta
If you’re not sensitive to dairy, goat cheese is a gut-friendly cheese because it’s full of probiotics. Dairy products from goats may also be easier to digest than dairy products from cows. Add lentil-based pasta and fiber-rich veggies like chopped asparagus and broccoli to make this pasta the ultimate cozy meal.
8. Moroccan Fish
To me, cozy also means a little spicy, and this dish is the perfect cold-weather meal. Certain fish—including Halibut, as is used in this recipe—contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s can help reduce inflammation in the gut, which can help relieve symptoms like bloating and stomach cramps. Omega-3s can also help improve the diversity and number of healthy bacteria in the gut. The combination of spices creates a flavor combination that’s the perfect warm and cozy comfort food.
9. Gold Curry Soup
As a soup girl through and through I will be leaning on this recipe this fall. The curry spices add the perfect kick with the classic chicken soup ingredients, from chopped carrots and onion to tenderly shredded chicken. It’s loaded with ingredients that are good for digestion (like veggies and spices) and none of the ingredients that aren’t.
10. Honey Glazed Salmon
This savory, sweet dish is a great weeknight dinner recipe (it’s a one-sheet pan meal that takes only 30 minutes). Salmon is another fish that is high in omega-3s that are good for reducing inflammation in the gut, and asparagus is a great source of the prebiotic fiber inulin, which acts as food for the good bacteria in the gut.
11. Bok Choy with Garlic and Ginger
Sauteed bok choy is one of the most underrated side dishes. The savory flavor of the garlic mixed with the tangy bite from the garlic is—chef’s kiss. Garlic and ginger are both gut-healthy spices; garlic may improve the diversity of gut bacteria, and ginger reduces gut inflammation and encourages efficient digestion. Bok Choy contains a good amount of fiber, and increasing plant variety is one of the most important things you can do for gut health.
12. Red Lentil Soup
Lentils are rich in a type of fiber that helps your digestive system work optimally and fuels good gut bacteria, making them the perfect base for a gut-healthy meal. Try this hearty red lentil soup recipe that is dairy-free, gluten-free, and cooks in just 35 minutes.
Sweet Treats
13. Dark Chocolate and Avocado Dip
When you’re craving chocolate, skip the brownies and try this delicious gut-friendly dip. Dark chocolate (meaning mostly cacao, with less added sugar or milk) is also a source of prebiotics that can benefit the gut microbial. This recipe is also made with avocado, which can improve gut health because it can help increase bacterial diversity. Pair with your favorite gut-healthy fruits, and it’s the perfect sweet treat.
14. Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
When you’re craving pumpkin pie (as happens often this time of year), opt for this overnight oats recipe that tastes so similar to the real thing without the added sugar, dairy, or gluten that can cause digestive disruption. Oats are high in fiber that can help with digestion, and the recipe calls for real pureed pumpkins for those prebotics. The chia seeds or flax meal in the recipe are also high in omega-3s. Pop these oats in the fridge the night before your cool morning walks, or take them on the go for busy end-of-quarter meetings.
15. Fall Turmeric Latte
Craving a warm, seasonal drink, but a PSL or apple cider makes your stomach hurt? Turmeric lattes are an anti-inflammatory powerhouse. Turmeric can improve digestion and contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce gut inflammation and gut permeability. Plus, the maple syrup and cinnamon give it that fall flavor without disrupting gut health like added sugars and syrups might.
16. Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Forget traditional apple pie that’s loaded with added sugar that can disrupt the gut. This recipe packs multiple high-fiber foods: apples, oats, and nuts for a gut-healthy punch. You also use applesauce to sweeten instead of refined sugar like in traditional apple pie recipes.
17. Pumpkin Bars
Refined sugars are a sneaky culprit in throwing off your gut microbiome. A high-sugar diet can disturb the balance of your microbiome leading to uncomfortable gut health. These pumpkin bars are not only gluten-free (good if gluten causes digestive upset for you), but they are free of refined sugars making them a more gut-friendly recipe.
18. Orange and Chocolate Chia Pudding
Orange is another popular seasonal flavor, and this decadent chocolate chia pudding is the perfect fix for your sweet tooth. Like salmon and halibut, chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, as well as fiber that supports digestion. Try this decadent dessert for your next post-dinner sweet treat.
19. Date Energy Balls
As another popular seasonal food, dates are a powerful ingredient for optimal gut health. Thanks to the combination of soluble and insoluble fiber, dates are ideal for constipation and may prevent diarrhea, constipation, and digestive tract inflammation. We love these energy balls because they taste like cookie dough and give you a boost of energy for that mid-day crash. These fiber-rich snacks are great for on-the-go sweet treats during your next fall activity.
20. Protein Pumpkin Pancakes
There’s something about a stack of pancakes on a fall Sunday—even better if they’re pumpkin-flavored. You already know that real pumpkin can be gut-healthy due to the fiber and prebiotics, but protein is also essential for the gut. Combine the two to create the perfect pumpkin protein pancakes that are sure to romanticize any autumn morning—while also supporting the gut.
Isabella Kicklighter, Editorial Assistant
As an Editorial Assistant at The Everygirl, Isabella provides support to the editorial team, contributing to content creation across an array of topics from lifestyle, beauty, and wellness to career and finance. Isabella undertakes various responsibilities such as writing and revising content, sourcing images, and assisting in collecting all necessary materials needed for stories.