September Dinner Ideas (with Printable and Step-by-Step Recipes)
September is a busy time of year, so I wanted to give you plenty of ideas for when it comes to what to make for dinner.
I have tried my best to include dishes that represent both summer and fall. There are some lighter, end-of-summer salads and dishes, and some heartier, cozier dishes for those evenings when the weather starts to get a little colder.
Change may be in the air, but there’s one thing that never changes in my household: the family is hungry and they need to be fed!
What to Make for Dinner in September
Via ‘Ordinary and Happy’, I present to you all of the dinner suggestions for September in an easy-to-read calendar. You can use this calendar to help you with your weekly meal plan, grocery shopping lists, or just on days you need some inspiration.
Get the PDF printable at the end of the article.
Burgers (for Labor Day)
You could go for simple hamburgers and cheeseburgers and choose from an assortment of burger toppings. Or you can make one or more of these gourmet burgers, including various options like halloumi burgers, Greek-inspired lamb burgers, and panko Portobello mushroom burgers.
This recipe is one of my go-tos for weeknight dinners. It’s pretty easy to make and it takes less than 25 minutes to make (and that’s including the time to make homemade pesto and cooking the chicken from scratch). You could speed it up by using rotisserie chicken and making the pesto ahead of time.
This mushroom soup is easy to make, and the prep is minimal. The addition of sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan gives it an extra boost in flavor.
Grilled Chicken & Greek Salad (recipe on Nomad Paradise)
Making a Greek salad takes less than 10 minutes. In that time, you can also grill the chicken, or you can grill it ahead of time and just get it out of the refrigerator and serve it cold alongside the salad. Serve some bread with it, and you’ll have a complete meal.
Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies
This is a sheet pan recipe with the prep time being under 15 minutes. The rest of the time is oven time for the chicken and veggies to roast. I love to serve this with a side salad, although it doesn’t necessarily need it.
While I generally make frittatas for brunch, I will also make them for weeknight dinners (or reheat the leftover slices from brunch for dinner). I love serving frittatas with a side salad, bread, and sometimes, avocado.
You can also pick another frittata from these eight different frittata options. You can get creative with fillings, using what you have at home. There are many different combinations I’ve made that were delicious but didn’t make it to these final eight recipes. Generally, I think roasted peppers, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed zucchini can make a great veggie base. You can up the flavor with the addition of cheeses like feta, goat cheese, or parmesan. If you have sun-dried tomatoes, those are almost always a good idea. For dinner, you can also make the frittatas more substantial with the addition of sausage.
This is one of my favorite recipes I created last fall. I’m really looking forward to making this again now that the weather has cooled down.
Tortilla wraps are such tasty & easy weeknight dinner options. This is another one of my favorites. For 10 other options, see my wrap recipe collection.
Spanish cured chorizo is so flavorful. Combine that with pasta, cream, parmesan, and fresh basil, and you’ve got a winning combination for dinner. It’s also easy to make, taking less than 15 minutes.
Roasted Vegetable Salad & Grilled Chicken
For this roasted vegetable salad, I like to use roasted eggplants, zucchini, mushrooms, and bell peppers. You can follow this recipe to the letter, or use your favorite veggie combinations and use the recipe as inspiration for creating your own. Serve it with grilled chicken, grilled salmon, steak, or pan-fried halloumi.
Bagel with Salami or Smoked Salmon
For evenings when you want dinner ready in 5-15 minutes, try a bagel with an assortment of fillings/toppings. See this 5-minute bagel with salami and roasted pepper cream cheese (you can also use beef salami) or this 15-minute bagel with smoked salmon, avocado, scrambled eggs, and more. For more inspiration, check out this bagel toppings and fillings list (with printable).
Crispy Fish Burger/Sandwich with a side salad or fries
Whether you call it a fish burger or a fish sandwich (depending on where you live), it’s a delicious dinner option. Serve it with fries or a side salad for a lighter option.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this broccoli cheddar soup recipe. It has quickly become a family favorite. For the best flavor, follow the recipe. But if you want it a bit lighter, you can add more water and a bit less cheese. Serve it with croutons or baguette slices.
Chicken Souvlaki (recipe from Nomad Paradise)
This Greek chicken souvlaki recipe is another family-favorite dinner. Side note – don’t you just love Greek cuisine!
Roasted Broccoli Walnut Pesto Pasta
While I also have a simple pesto pasta recipe, if you have more time, try this roasted broccoli pasta with walnut pesto for a heartier meal.
Cobb Salad (Recipe on Nomad Paradise)
Hearty salads are a great feature of American cuisine, and this Cobb salad is an example of it. I love the recipe as it but I know some people aren’t fans of blue cheese, in which case you can substitute it with feta cheese (or another cheese you love) or leave it out altogether if you’re not a fan of cheese.
This is an easy and light sheet pan dinner perfect for weeknights.
Ratatouille (Ratatouille Stew or Confit Byaldi-Style)
Quinoa Salad with Grilled Chicken
Salmon and Orzo with Pesto and Mushrooms
Crispy Chicken Burger/Sandwich
Chicken Vesuvio (Recipe from Nomad Paradise)
Greek Meatballs (Recipe via Nomad Paradise)
Finally, for dessert, see these dessert options.
Get the September dinner ideas printable here.
I really hope this selection gives you so much choice and inspiration throughout the month. If you’d like to keep these recipes on-hand, don’t forget to save them to one of your dinner idea boards. You can use the pin below.
