The leaves are getting ready to fall along with the temperatures, the nights are drawing in and the idea of all things cosy is becoming top of our agendas. Accompanying our changing tastes in ambience our palates our changing too. Say goodbye to the meat laden BBQ’s and crisp fresh salads, this season we’re looking to hearty, wholesome and healthy dishes to see us through the autumn months. Normally we’d be dishing up traditional stews as we enter this new season, however proving the plant based can be just as satisfying we’ve picked our Top 5 Autumn Vegan recipes from BBC Good Food.

Pumpkin, spinach & black bean dopiaza

Fancy a bit of spice, but without the grease of a takeaway? Try this healthy seasonal curry with crispy onions

Ingredients

• 2 onions , thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 garlic clove , crushed

• 1 tsp each ground cumin , coriander and curry powder

• pinch chilli powder

• 400g pumpkin (peeled weight), cut into chunks

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 400g can black bean in water, drained and rinsed

• 200g spinach , washed

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Toss half the onions in 1 tbsp oil, then roast for 15-20 mins, until they are crisp and golden.

• STEP 2

  Meanwhile, fry the remaining onion in the oil until lightly golden. Add the garlic and spices; cook for 1 min. Add the pumpkin, stir in the tomato purée and 425ml boiling water, then return to the boil. Simmer, covered, for 15 mins, then stir in the beans. Cook for a further 5 mins.

• STEP 3

  Put the spinach in a colander and pour over a kettle of boiling water until it is wilted. Press with a wooden spoon to remove excess water, then roughly chop. Stir into the curry, then warm through. Serve scattered with the crisp roasted onions.

Vegan chilli

This vegan chilli packs in plenty of vegetables and doesn’t fall short on the flavour front. Serve it with rice or in jacket potatoes for a filling supper

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks 

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 onion, chopped 

• 2 carrots, chopped 

• 2 celery sticks, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1-2 tsp chilli powder (depending on how hot you like it)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 red pepper, cut into chunks 

• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

• 400g can black beans, drained 

• 400g can kidney beans, drained 

• lime wedges, guacamole, rice and coriander to serve

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the sweet potato in a roasting tin and drizzle over 1½ tbsp oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp ground cumin. Give everything a good mix so that all the chunks are coated in spices, season with salt and pepper, then roast for 25 mins until cooked.

• STEP 2

  Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until soft, then crush in the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Add the remaining dried spices and tomato purée. Give everything a good mix and cook for 1 min more.

• STEP 3

  Add the red pepper, chopped tomatoes and 200ml water. Bring the chilli to a boil, then simmer for 20 mins. Tip in the beans and cook for another 10 mins before adding the sweet potato. Season to taste then serve with lime wedges, guacamole, rice and coriander. Will keep, in an airtight container in the freezer, for up to three months.

Spiced aubergine bake

This is vegan comfort food at its best. Layer up slices of aubergine with a spicy coconut milk and tomato sauce for a hearty, warming meal

Ingredients

• 4 aubergines, cut into 5mm-1cm slices

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 large onions, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp black mustard seeds

• ½ tbsp fenugreek seeds

• 1 tbsp garam masala

• ¼ tsp hot chilli powder

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

• 200ml coconut milk

• sugar, to taste

• 2 tbsp flaked almonds

• small bunch coriander, roughly chopped (optional)

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Generously brush each aubergine slice with vegetable oil and place in a single layer on a baking tray, or two if they don’t fit on one. Cook on the low shelves for 10 mins, then turn over and cook for a further 5-10 mins until they are golden. Reduce the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

• STEP 2

  Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan and add the onions. Cover and sweat on a low heat for about 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, garam masala, chilli powder, cinnamon stick, cumin and ground coriander. Cook for a few secs until it starts to smell beautiful and aromatic.

• STEP 3

  Pour the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk into the spiced onions and stir well. Check the seasoning and add a little sugar, salt or pepper to taste.

• STEP 4

  Spoon a third of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Layer with half the aubergine slices. Spoon over a further third of tomato sauce, then the remaining aubergine slices, and finish with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and coriander (if using), reserving some to serve, and bake for 25-30 mins. Serve garnished with more coriander.

Sweet potato & rosemary soup with garlic toasts

This rustic soup is super-quick and cheap to make, but full of flavour.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil , plus extra for brushing

• 1 onion , chopped

• 3 garlic cloves

• 750g sweet potato , peeled and cubed

• 1l vegetable stock

• 2 rosemary sprigs

• 8 slices bread (ciabatta is good)

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then fry the onion until soft. Crush 2 garlic cloves, add to the onion, then fry for 1 min more. Stir in the sweet potato, then cover with the stock and bring to the boil. Strip the leaves from one of the rosemary sprigs, then add to the pan. Simmer for 10 mins until the potato is soft.

• STEP 2

  Meanwhile, heat oven to 200C/ fan 180C/gas 6. Place the bread on a baking sheet, then brush with olive oil. Slice the remaining garlic clove in half, then rub the cut side over the bread along with the leaves from the second rosemary sprig. Season, then bake for 10 mins until crisp and golden.

• STEP 3

  Use a hand blender to roughly purée the soup, adding a splash of hot water if it seems too thick. Season well, then pour into warmed bowls and serve with the toasts.

Smoky spiced veggie rice

Try this vegan take on a jambalaya, full of fiery and smoky flavours and bursting with vegetables. It's healthy, low in fat and calories, yet big on flavour. 

Ingredients

• 25g cashews

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1 corn cob

• 250g rainbow baby carrots , halved lengthways

• 2 red onions , finely chopped

• 2 celery sticks , finely chopped

• 2 large red peppers , finely sliced

• 3 garlic cloves , crushed

• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning

• 1½ tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp chipotle paste

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 200g heirloom cherry tomatoes , halved

• 400g can kidney beans , drained and rinsed

• 400g can cherry tomatoes

• 300g long-grain rice , washed

• 400ml vegetable or vegan stock

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (vegan varieties are readily available)

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

• 2 spring onions , finely sliced

Method

• STEP 1

  Dry-fry the cashews in a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then roughly chop. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan over a high heat, then fry the corn on each side for 20 seconds to char. Remove from the pan, set aside, then tip in the carrots and fry for 5 mins. Remove from the pan and set aside.

• STEP 2

  Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and celery for 10 mins until soft and slightly coloured. Tip in the peppers and garlic, then fry for another 5 mins before adding the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, chipotle paste and tomato purée. Fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant, then add the cherry tomatoes and fry for another 2 mins. 

• STEP 3

  Stir in the kidney beans, canned tomatoes, rice, stock, vinegar and sugar, then stir until everything is combined. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and simmer with a lid on for 35-40 mins on a medium-low heat, stirring halfway through, until the rice is cooked and liquid absorbed.

• STEP 4

  Slice the corn off the cob and mix it through the rice along with the carrots. Season and garnish with the spring onions and cashews.