FRUIT · VEGETABLES · PLANT-BASED RECIPES

Seasonal calendar OctoberA feast of colours

A festival of colours – out in the woods and on your plate. In October cooking becomes earthier: squash, Brussels sprouts, leeks, quinces and crisp apples.

  • 6Vegetables
  • 4Fruit
  • 3Recipes
  • 3Ideas
To the recipes

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What is in season in October

The kitchen turns earthier, warmer and wonderfully uncomplicated.

Which fruit and vegetables are in season in October?

In October, the main vegetables in season in Germany are squash, brussels sprouts, swede, celery, leek and beetroot. For fruit, look out for apples, pears, quinces and table grapes. Regional seasonal produce is usually fresher, more flavourful and travels shorter distances.

Vegetables

6 varieties
  • Squash
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Swede
  • Celery
  • Leek
  • Beetroot

Fruit

4 varieties
  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Quinces
  • Table grapes

IN THE KITCHEN

Plant-based recipes for October

All recipes are fully plant-based and explained step by step.

Roasted squash with Brussels sprouts and maple syrup

  • 40 min
  • Serves 2
  • 5 steps

Ingredients

  • ½ red kuri squash
  • 300 g Brussels sprouts
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • pumpkin seeds, salt

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Deseed the squash and cut it, skin on, into wedges about 2 cm wide.

  2. Prepare the sprouts: trim the base, remove any wilted outer leaves and halve them.

  3. Toss the squash and sprouts with olive oil and salt on a tray, placing the sprouts cut side down. Roast for 25–30 minutes until soft and caramelised.

  4. Stir the maple syrup and mustard until smooth.

  5. Drizzle over the hot vegetables and scatter with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Leek and potato soup

  • 30 min
  • Serves 4
  • 4 steps

Ingredients

  • 2 leeks
  • 500 g potatoes
  • 1 l vegetable stock
  • 100 ml oat cream
  • marjoram, nutmeg

Method

  1. Halve the leeks lengthways, wash thoroughly between the layers and slice into thin rings.

  2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot and sweat the leeks over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.

  3. Peel and dice the potatoes, add them with the stock and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes.

  4. Add the oat cream and blend the soup until smooth. Season with marjoram, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Apple and quince compote

  • 45 min
  • Serves 4
  • 4 steps

Ingredients

  • 2 quinces
  • 2 apples
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • juice of ½ lemon

Method

  1. Rub the quinces with a tea towel to remove the fuzz. Peel, quarter, cut out the hard core and dice into 1 cm pieces.

  2. Put the diced quince into a pan with the sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon juice and 150 ml water and simmer gently with the lid on for 25 minutes until soft.

  3. Peel, core and dice the apples. Add them and cook for another 8 minutes.

  4. Remove the cinnamon stick. Serve the compote warm or cold.

OUTDOORS & INDOORS

Ideas for October

Small moments that make the month special.

Forage mushrooms – only with knowledge

October is mushroom month. Only gather what you can identify with certainty, and if in doubt have your finds checked by a mushroom advisory service.

Fly a kite

Autumn wind on a field or a dyke – a classic that never gets old.

Collect chestnuts and carve a pumpkin

Horse chestnuts for crafts, sweet chestnuts for roasting – and the pumpkin flesh goes into the soup.