As the weather cools and the evenings draw in, cooking with seasonal ingredients brings a sense of comfort.
Over in our Dining Area and Outdoor Marketplace, customers regularly ask about the meals they've enjoyed in-store. Many of those conversations make their way to Steve, our Head Chef, who turns them into recipes for everyone to try at home.
This round-up includes autumn soup recipes, cosy mains, and sweet bakes, all tested in the Bents kitchen and regularly served to happy guests.
Our Autumn Recipe Selection
- Soup ideas
- Hearty mains
- Desserts and bakes
- Veg and lighter options
- How to share your results with us
Warming Autumn Soup Recipes
Soup's a good place to start. It's simple, nourishing, and usually better the next day, which is handy if you're batch cooking. Here are three recipes that capture the season beautifully.
Leek and Potato Soup
Mild, creamy, and easy to love. Our version uses just a few ingredients, but the result is something warm and filling. Guests often say it reminds them of home.
View the complete Leek and Potato Soup recipe →
Roast Sweet Potato & Coriander Soup
Sweet potato takes on a deep flavour when roasted. Blend it with fresh coriander and you've got a soup that's as cheerful as it is warming.
View the whole Roast Sweet Potato & Coriander Soup recipe →
Hearty Dinners to Warm You Up
When it's dark outside by teatime, you want meals that hit the spot. These mains are popular requests from our café customers, and favourites in our own kitchens too.
Hearty Beef Stew
Slow-cooked beef, soft vegetables, rich gravy, this is proper comfort food. Served with mash or crusty bread, it rarely leaves leftovers.
View the full Hearty Beef Stew recipe →
Beef and Vegetable Casserole
A good one for feeding a few, or cooking once and eating twice. It's satisfying without being too rich.
View the whole Beef and Vegetable Casserole recipe →
Cherry Coke Pork Shoulder
Sticky, sweet, and slow-roasted until it pulls apart with a fork. Customers who've tried this one usually don't need persuading to make it again.
View the full Cherry Coke Pork Shoulder recipe →
Aubergine and Tomato Pasta Bake
This healthy autumn recipe features layers of soft aubergine with rich tomato and garlic. Top it with cheese or breadcrumbs, and you've got yourself a crowd-pleaser.
View the full Aubergine and Tomato Pasta Bake recipe →
Jamaican Style Jerk Lamb with Coconut Rice
Warm spices and slow-cooked meat. This one strays a little from classic British autumn, but it earns its place on cold days.
View the full Jerk Lamb recipe →
Autumn Desserts and Bakes
These dishes bring people back to the table after dinner. Our team bakes them in-store; customers regularly request them, and they're a joy to make at home.
Easy Chocolate Mousse
Whisk, chill, done. Mousse is the kind of dessert you can throw together after tea and still impress everyone.
View the full Chocolate Mousse recipe →
Apple Crumble
Tart apples, cinnamon, buttery topping. There's a reason this gets requested more than any other pudding in our café.
View the full Apple Crumble recipe →
Family Sponge Cake
Sponge cake is soft, simple, and open to whatever topping you've got in the cupboard. We've tried it with jam, cinnamon apples, and even custard.
View the full Sponge Cake recipe →
Lighter Autumn Ideas with Veg
You can tweak many of the soups and mains above by adding more veg and cutting back on meat.
Use lentils in the casserole, pile leafy greens into risottos, or roast whatever's in the veg box this week. Many of our customers do just that, and we love seeing what they come up with.
Share What You Make
Tried one of these at home? Brilliant. Tag us on Facebook or Instagram, we love seeing what ends up on your plate.
For more seasonal ideas from our team, visit the Bents Garden & Home Blog.