The Best October Produce—And What To Cook With It

Give thanks for the harvest all month long by enjoying the bounty of fall (arguably the best season of the year!). Farmers' markets and grocery stores will be decked out in seasonal colours thanks to all the fresh pumpkins and winter squash that are starting to peak now. Beyond gourds, you can enjoy fresh apples, pears and cranberries, and be sure to take advantage of the tail-end of corn and tomato season. Here's what fruits and veggies you should most definitely eat (and cook and bake with) this October.

Apples

Classic apple crisp. Photo, Erik Putz.

Pick-your-own apples at a local apple orchard, or grab some local fruit from your nearest farmers' market or supermarket. However you get your apples, be sure to make something delicious with your haul.

Apple recipes

• Classic apple crisp
• Apple muffins
• Apple cobbler

Beets

Borscht. Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Add some warm earthiness to your autumn meals with a handful of hearty beets.

Beet recipes

• Roasted beets and their greens
• Beef and beet borscht
• Sesame-ginger beet quinoa bowl

Broccoli

Broccoli cheddar soup. Photo, Roberto Caruso.

This month, skip the fresh broccoli salads in favour of warming soups and heartier veggies dishes.

Broccoli recipes

• Broccoli cheddar soup
• Skillet broccoli and potato frittata
• Sesame beef and broccoli vermicelli bowl

Brussels Sprouts

Maple Brussels sprouts. Photo, Erik Putz.

Roast fresh or frozen Brussels sprouts in the oven for a fall-ready side dish you'll want to eat all season.

Brussels sprouts recipes

• Maple Brussels sprouts
• Kale salad with cranberries and Brussels sprouts
• Pan-fried salmon with Brussels sprouts

Cranberries

Classic cheesecake with cranberry-clementine sauce. Photo, Erik Putz.

Canada is the world's second-largest cranberry producer. The cranberry season is short, so grab some fresh berries and make your own cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving—it's way better than canned.

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Cranberry recipes

• Homemade cranberry sauce
• Cheesecake with cranberry-clementine sauce recipe
• Cranberry-glazed meatballs

Pears

Pear and watercress salad. Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Pears are delicious fresh, but they're even tastier baked in sweet and savoury dishes. For a quick fix, make a grilled cheese sandwich with brie and a few slices of pear. You won't be sorry.

Pear recipes

• Earl grey and vanilla pears
• Creamy pear and mascarpone brioche
• Pear and watercress salad

Carrots

Streusel-crunch spiced carrot cake muffins. Photo, Erik Putz.

Jazz up your dinner table with locally grown carrots in an array of colours (think yellow, purple and of course, orange).

Carrot recipes

• Sweet and sour carrots
• Carrot cake with fluffy white chocolate icing
• Streusal-crunch spiced carrot cake muffins

Cauliflower

Roasted cauliflower soup. Photo, Sian Richards.

Whether it's riced, roasted or pureed into a soup, cauliflower is sure to be a hit at meal-time.

Cauliflower recipes

• Cauliflower and leek pasta
• Shepherd's pie with cauliflower mash
• Roasted cauliflower soup

Corn

Corn season is nearly over! Photo, Sian Richards

Enjoy the waning corn season before it's back to canned and frozen for the rest of the year.

Corn recipes

• Fresh ricotta gnocchi with tomato and corn salad
• Filipino grilled corn (pinoy elote)
• Creamed corn

Eggplant

Thai eggplant dip. Photo, Erik Putz.

Eggplant is a pretty divisive veggie, but if you like it, you usually love it. So eggplant-lovers, eat a bunch of it while it's in season!

Eggplant recipes

• Thai eggplant dip
• Grilled eggplant tacos
• Rigatoni pasta with eggplant and ricotta

Leek

Leek and pancetta galettes. Photo, Erik Putz.

Leeks are part of the onion family, but when cooked, they're much milder in flavour than their more-popular allium cousins.

Leek recipes

• Turkey and leek risotto
• Leek and pancetta galette

Pumpkin

Pumpkin cheesecake. Photo, Erik Putz.

Pumpkins are for more than just decoration! Pick up an orange gourd and make something delicious with it, including your very own pumpkin purée (and then use that purée in a sweet, seasonal recipe!).

Pumpkin recipes

• Pumpkin pie
• Pumpkin cheesecake
• Pumpkin loaf

Squash

Lasagna-stuffed spaghetti squash. Photo, Erik Putz.

There are so many different ways to cook squash, which is a good thing, because when stored properly, winter squash keeps for up to three month.

Squash recipes

• Lasagna-stuffed spaghetti squash
• Macaroni and cheese with roasted butternut squash
• Butternut squash soup

Tomatoes

Preserved tomatoes. Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Tomato season is drawing to a close, so enjoy sun-ripened fruit before it's back to greenhouse varieties. Preserve your fresh tomatoes to enjoy summer flavours throughout the winter!

Tomato recipes

• Preserved tomatoes
• Slow-roasted tomatoes
• Fresh herbed tomato sauce

Sweet potatoes

Sriracha drumsticks with sweet potato fries. Photo, Erik Putz.

There's something super comforting about sweet potatoes, which make them perfect for this transition season.

Sweet potato recipes

• Sweet potato stuffing
• Sheet-pan Sriracha drumsticks with sweet potato fries
• Maple bacon sweet potatoes