What to eat in September

As summer’s heat simmers down to more of an autumnal glow, all sorts of gorgeous British ingredients come into their own.

Cooking seasonal September fare is so exciting, as trees and hedgerows are bursting with beautiful plums, damsons, blackberries and elderberries – sweet, juicy and at their best. It’s also the beginning of wild mushroom season (please only ever go foraging with an expert), as well as the time to enjoy native nuts such as cob nuts and chestnuts.

In September, vegetables in the UK grow in abundance. Aside from the whole host of new autumn crops, many summer veg like tomatoes and courgettes are still ripening, ready to harvest before the colder British weather kicks in.

Here’s what to eat in September as well as the best September seasonal recipes to cook up throughout the month.

Seasonal fruit recipes for September

Keep it simple with this awesome Plum sorbet, which really highlights the gorgeous natural flavour of this lovely British fruit. Or take it up a notch and whip up a batch of Dutch baby pancakes with roasted plums. Also known as German pancakes, these fluffy little desserts are almost like sweet Yorkshire puddings!

Take a look at our 9 favourite plum recipes

Figs are a welcome addition to any grazing board. The soft, sweet fruits pair beautifully with savoury, salty foods like Parma ham and cheese (this canape recipe is a bite of perfection), however, figs can also take the taste of cakes and puddings to a whole new level.

Check out our 10 best fig recipes

As soon as summer begins to draw to a close, blackberries appear in their masses all over the UK. Head out on a walk and see if you can gather a handful of nature’s finest to make a cosy, warm dessert, a fabulous, fresh cocktail or an easy, speedy pud like this gorgeous blackberry fool.

Check out more of our brilliant blackberry recipes

Seasonal vegetable recipes for September

Squash, pumpkins and gourds are allotment royalty at this time of year! Our gorgeous Squash, sage & chestnut risotto is a bowl of comforting loveliness, while this Squash mash with sausage Catherine wheels is perfect for weekend treat.

Check out our 11 brilliant butternut squash recipes

Not only are mushrooms cheaper to buy from markets and shops from September in the UK, you can easily find them growing wild and for free across the beautiful British countryside - although we only recommend you pick and eat wild mushrooms if you’re foraging with an expert. This comforting mushroom stroganoff heroes the veg in a recipe that takes just 20 minutes to cook, or our crispy mushroom shawarma is the perfect autumn pick-me-up.

Here are our 10 favourite mushroom recipes

Although they’re available throughout the year, July to September is the best time to eat aubergine in the UK. It’s one incredibly versatile veg that soaks up flavour like a dream. Whether you’re cooking a sticky vegan stir-fry or this delicious aubergine Parmesan milanese, it’ll taste ever the better when bought in season, locally.

Check out our top 10 aubergine recipes

Fennel is so versatile. From adding a good crunch to a warm autumn salad, or a flavour punch to a creamy risotto to elevating your weekly roast in a cheesy bake like this gratin, it's such a unique veg that tastes unbelievably delicious. Fennel is one of the best vegetables to eat in September as it’s just at the end of its season in the UK, making it even easier to find and cheaper to buy at this time of year.

Take a look at our round-up of the 10 best fennel recipes

The best time to buy and eat corn on the cob, or sweetcorn, is late-summer when they’re at their prime. There’s nothing more satisfying than fresh corn eaten straight from the cob, and our recipe adds a good drizzle of lime mayo and hard cheese to go with its sweet natural flavour.

Discover more of our sweetcorn recipes

Seasonal meat or fish recipes for September

The magical combo of plums and duck is no coincidence – ingredients often naturally go together with other food that’s in season at the same time. Tuck into this winning Crispy duck with fire-roasted plum sauce to see what we mean! Or indulge in some truly autumnal vibes with this Duck ragu and homemade pici pasta.

For recipe inspiration all year round, from spring suppers to winter feasts, check out more of our seasonal features.