A guide to British seasonal autumn produce

Discover which British fruits and veggies are in season, plus loads of delicious new recipe ideas from Tom Kerridge.

M&S Chef Ambassador

Autumn is one of my favourite times of year for British seasonal veg. The first squash and pumpkins appear, as well as beautiful carrots, heritage British apples, vibrant greens and ripe figs, alongside the last of the summer tomatoes and stone fruit. What’s more, with the days turning cooler and the nights drawing in, it’s a time when I look forward to spending a little bit longer in the kitchen and cooking up some proper comfort food. Keep reading for my pick of what’s in season in autumn, plus loads of recipe ideas to help you put the best produce to delicious use.

Autumn recipe ideas

What's in season in November

Read our guide to the best British produce around in November, plus Tom Kerridge’s seasonal recipe ideas.

King Edward Potatoes

The humble British spud is at its best at this time of year. King Edwards are one of the oldest cultivars grown in the UK, and these quintessential British potatoes are renowned for their light, fluffy texture. They make excellent roasties – simply peel and parboil until just tender, then allow to cool completely while you pre-heat a tray of oil in the oven. Tumble into the hot oil, season generously, add a couple of smashed garlic cloves and roast to golden, crispy perfection. These potatoes, which M&S source from trusted farms, also make excellent mash and chips.

Spuds you'll like

Savoy Cabbage

With its crinkled, emerald leaves, savoy cabbage is the king of winter veggies. It’s super versatile – try it roasted in chunky wedges in a spiced butter or served alongside your roast chicken. Or braise it low and slow so it goes beautifully tender. Cabbage is a great match with pork – as in this comforting meatballs recipe. Or keep it super fresh and crunchy by shredding into a vibrant slaw.

Cook with cabbage

Royal Gala Apples

British apple season is still in full swing come November, and British Royal Gala are at their best. Delicious, sweet and juicy with a firm, crisp texture, they're a cross between Golden Delicious and Kidd’s Orange Red. Given that Kidd’s Orange Red is itself a cross between a Cox and Red Delicious, it’s safe to say that these blush-red apples come from good stock, and at M&S, they're tree-ripened for exceptional flavour, sweetness and a crisp texture. Try slicing into a punchy celeriac remoulade or this fiery apricot, apple, ginger and honey relish.

How to cook British apples

Speciality Mushrooms

Nothing says autumn quite like a mushroom. They’re some of the most sustainable crops you can buy, being grown in the UK without the need for a lot of space or water. The speciality varieties – I’m talking oyster, shitake and enoki – lend themselves brilliantly to the types of dishes I want to cook at this time of year. Make them the star of a creamy veggie stroganoff, garlicky mushrooms on toast or a punchy stir-fry.

Make some mushrooms

Broccoli

Broccoli may be something you buy week in and week out, but it’s the autumn and winter months that bring the bumper British crop. M&S broccoli is only sourced from trusted growers, who ensure you get tender, sweet crowns. Try blitzing it into an easy sauce that you can toss through pasta, adding to mac and cheese, simmering into soup, or roasting in a hot oven for a crispy side dish. Don’t forget you can use up the stalks, too – try them blitzed with parmesan and pine nuts for a new take on pesto.

The best broccoli recipes

What's in season in October

Read Tom Kerridge's pick of seasonal British produce to eat in October, and flavour-packed recipe ideas for what to cook with it.

Kissabel Apples

British apple season is still going strong in October, with some wonderful heritage varieties in the Foodhall at M&S. Because all the apples are tree-ripened, they’re some of the sweetest you can get. Look out for the vivid red-fleshed Kissabel apples at this time of year. As well as their distinctive appearance, they have a tart, sweet and refreshing flavour and mega juicy texture.

British apple ideas

Squash

Sweet and earthy squash is an autumn staple and something I always look forward to come October. There are loads of speciality varieties in the Foodhall, from creamy and rich Crown Prince squash to Spaghetti squash (which has noodle-like flesh) and mini Munchkin pumpkins. It's great roasted – there's no need to peel, just remove the seeds and slice into thick wedges before tossing in olive oil and roasting until tender. You can add spices, such as warming ras el hanout or punchy ancho chilli flakes, to amp up the flavour. Squash has a creamy, velvety texture which means it's excellent blitzed in soups or used to add body to risotto. Salty flavours work well with its sweetness - try it with sharp cheddar in my easy pasta bake or alongside those other autumn stalwarts, sausages, sage and apple, in this gorgeous sausage traybake recipe.

Squash recipe ideas

Pears

Ripe, mellow and with a honeyed aroma, pears are the quintessential autumn fruit. M&S source all their pears from trusted growers who taste-test theirs so only the sweetest varieties make it to the shelves. They're really versatile to cook with – they're as good in tarts and crumbles as they are in autumn salads or bruschetta, paired with salty cheeses and crunchy nuts. A poached pear is a retro classic that's stood the test of time – try poaching them in white wine, orange zest and star anise then serving with double cream. Baking pears, whether in blondies or foccacia, works well – they'll hold their shape but keep your cakes moist.

A lovely pear

British apples

There are thousands of British apple varieties in an array of beautiful flavours, colours and textures. M&S are the only retailer to tree-ripen a selection of their British apples, which means they're some of the sweetest you can taste. My go-to varieties? Scarlett Paradise are super sweet and crisp with a distinctive red colour – try them thinly sliced into slaws and salads or dipped in peanut butter for an elite snack. Tree-ripened Cox apples are aromatic, mellow and sweet, Braeburn have a great balance of sharpness and sweetness, and Russet are a small-but-mighty British breed with wonderfully nutty, honeyed flavour. Apples pair brilliantly with cheese – try the combo in this twist on a Ploughman's lunch, complete with cheese and pickle croutons.

Awesome apple recipes

Pumpkins

A pumpkin isn't just for Halloween – this sweet and nutty veggie deserves to play a starring role in your autumn cooking, too. Even if you're carving it, opt for an edible pumpkin (all M&S pumpkins are) so you can avoid food waste and cook something lovely. Like squash, pumpkins are great roasted and can stand up to punchy spices like chilli and cumin seeds – they're great in curries. They also work wonderfully in sweet dishes, from pies to pancakes, where the naturally sweet flavour will be enhanced by warming spices like cinnamon, vanilla and cardamom. A pumpkin soup is an absolute classic, and my version takes it to the next level with the addition of nutty burnt hazelnut butter and sage.

Pick of the pumpkin recipes

Tree-ripened plums

British plums are a seasonal treat at this time of year. Plums are one of my favourites – they taste of pure sunshine. M&S plums are tree-ripened for the sweetest flavour and juiciest texture. Look out for juicy, ripe British plums in the Foodhall in October. I love them in the autumn puds I crave at this time of year – think sticky crumbles and comforting cobblers. Or try roasting with a drizzle of honey and using them to top pancakes or porridge.

Perfect plum recipes

Cavolo nero and Swiss chard

With their deep, burnished green colour flecked with candy-pink rainbow stripes, Swiss chard is one of the most visually appealing veggies out there. It comes into its own at this time of year along with dark-green cavolo nero, with its mottled leaves. Both make a lovely side dish when simply cooked with garlic, chilli and lemon zest, or give them a starring role in tarts and veg-packed fritters. Slowly cook the stalks in olive oil and butter before adding the leaves at the last minute to keep them really tender and fresh. You can also try blitzing into a pesto. However you choose to cook them, M&S work with trusted growers who only choose the pick of the crop.

Eat your greens

What's in season in September

Tom Kerridge's guide to the best seasonal fruit and veg to eat in September, plus his favourite early autumn recipe ideas.

Tenderstem broccoli

British-grown and hand-harvested for quality, then packed and cooled for a 'just-picked' flavour, M&S Tenderstem broccoli makes it easy and tasty to eat your greens. These vivid spears have a delicate flavour that’s great in everything from stir-fries to pasta. They make a great hand-held snack for little ones (tell them they’re mini trees), especially when dunked in a tasty dressing – try one made from whisked peanut butter, soy sauce and lime juice. They're great in tarts, too, or simply roasted and tossed with sliced chillies, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

Tenderstem broccoli recipes

Sweetheart cabbage

With its pale green skin and tender leaves, sweetheart or hipsi cabbage has been a favourite on top restaurant menus – and I can see why. It has a delicate, sweet flavour that works beautifully well roasted (sear in a hot pan to char the edges, add stock and butter, then finish in the oven until it’s completely tender) or shredded and added to Asian stir-fries, omelettes or Japanese-style pancakes.

Cook with cabbage

Peaches and nectarines

Juicy peaches and nectarines are at their best in early September, just as summer comes to an end, when the sun has had time to ripen and sweeten them beautifully, so enjoy the last of the year's bounty now. If you’re having a late-summer barbecue, try charring your stone fruit to serve in a salad or dessert – it intensifies the flavour. Or simply serve with a dollop of mascarpone and a drizzle of honey.

Stone fruit recipe ideas

Published 10.1.2024