Women's Health October 13, 2025 0 Comments

Giada De Laurentiis Reveals Her Secret Fall Recipes—And The Surprising Reason She Avoids Pumpkin Completely!

Ah, fall—the season that wraps us up in cozy sweaters and the irresistible aroma of comfort food wafting through the air. But have you ever wondered what truly makes a meal feel like a warm hug from the inside out? Well, Food Network’s beloved Giada De Laurentiis—yes, the very same chef who’s been gracing our screens and dinner tables for years—is pulling back the curtain just for Woman’s World readers. At 55, Giada isn’t holding anything back: from her foolproof hosting tips that keep things chic, simple, and far from overcomplicated, to her unique take on pumpkin (spoiler: she’s not about that pumpkin spice life). And wait until you hear about the comforting fall dishes inspired by Giada and her daughter Jade that promise to make your kitchen smell downright irresistible. Intrigued? You should be. Let’s dive into the kind of seasonal secrets that could transform your gatherings from stressful to effortlessly stylish. LEARN MORE

It’s finally fall, and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis is ready to share what recipes make her feel all warm, comforted and cozy exclusively with Woman’s World readers. From pastas, wines and even her thoughts on pumpkin, the 55-year-old Italian chef held nothing back. Read on to discover what she has to say.

Giada De Laurentiis’ best hosting tips for effortless fall gatherings

Before whipping up a big fall meal, every single chef has to figure out how to prep both their kitchen and their home. Thankfully, De Laurentiis has some advice for people, saying, “I like to keep it chic and simple. I think that for me, overcomplicating is the thing that makes me crazy.”

“I would say that when I am entertaining,” she elaborates, “I pick a cocktail or a theme. So I either do a martini theme, where I do my bourbon Peroni and maple martini and I set up a bar with that. Or I do sort of a beer cart, so I’ll keep some Peroni on ice, both alcoholic and non alcoholic. And then I put some toppings like citrus, lemon and some orange slices. If I have tangerines or tangellos on my trees outside, I’ll add those in and some herbs, some thyme, a little bit of lavender and rosemary from my garden, depending on what I’m growing at the moment. It spices up the beer and makes it a little bit more festive.”

And for decorating the table? “I just like a neutral linen with some colorful Italian ceramics,” she says. “Then I like to make something as the centerpiece, like a struffoli, which we do at Christmas time. Or I can take reusable olive oil bottles and put flowers in them after I’m done using them. To me, that is chic and elegant, but incredibly simple, where nobody feels intimidated when they sit down at the table. That’s what I want. I want people to come over and just feel at home and not feel intimidated.”

Giada De Laurentiis in 2025Amber De Vos/Getty

For those without a garden, no worries. De Laurentiis said that farmers’ markets, co-ops and grocery stores are great alternatives.

“We’re so lucky these days, because I remember when I first moved here from Italy as a kid, you couldn’t find any of these things,” she noted. “We did have gardens, but it wasn’t part of the American experience. And so I find that we’ve come such a long way and really started to live in some kind of harmony with nature in that way.”

The comforting fall dishes Giada and daughter Jade love most

Once you’ve finished prepping your house, you can finally begin to cook, and thankfully, De Laurentiis has some delicious ideas for you to try this fall.

“My daughter Jade’s obsessed with bolognese, so I now make baked bolognese to make my life a little easier. I can prep it even the day before and put it in a nice, beautiful ceramic dish and then bake it that day or take it to somebody’s house, whether it’s a friend of mine or my family. It’s something that’s portable, but something that is very homey and very comforting and makes your whole house smell amazing. So my latest concoction is a baked bolognese,” she said. “Sometimes I also make a frutti di mare linguine, or some kind of pasta with clams and mussels, and I add a little bit of Peroni beer for a little effervescence and to cut through some of the seafood.”

Why Giada De Laurentiis refuses to cook with pumpkin

One thing De Laurentiis will not be cooking this fall, though, is anything with pumpkin, despite it being the season’s most recognizable food.

Giada De Laurentiis in 2022Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty

“I love to decorate them and keep them as a decoration, but I don’t want to eat them. They’re just not my thing. Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up eating pumpkins. It’s not really a thing in Italy, and so it’s not something that I really enjoy, but I do like decorating them. I’ll put candles in them and I’ll make them look scary. But I don’t really eat them other than pumpkin seeds,” she explained. “I love pumpkin seeds. I love toasting them. I make them and put them in a jar. I top them on salads and everywhere else.”

She will also not be getting on the pumpkin spice train, saying, “I find them to be gimmicky and I don’t subscribe. I’m a purist and a more traditionalist. I love my espresso, I love my coffee, but I don’t love pumpkin spice.”

How Giada’s partnership with Peroni celebrates true Italian tradition

Peroni is an Italian pale Lager beer that De Laurentiis loves to drink and cook with. In fact, she loves it so much that she has even teamed up with the brand several times over the years.

“I immigrated here when I was seven, but my family’s been drinking Peroni since forever. And so to me, Peroni is sort of a very chic and cool, elegant brand, but still really attainable,” she said. “What Peroni is trying to do here in the States is share that authenticity, that true Italian experience and tradition, and that is what I’ve tried to do as well for the last 20 years.”

Inside Giada’s fall sweepstakes for home cooks

From October 15 through December 31, fans can enter to win a yearlong Giadzy membership at Giadzy.com, which includes exclusive recipes, curated menus, insider travel guides to Italy and access to limited-edition Italian products. Winners will be announced in January, and Giada says she can’t wait to share the experience: ‘It’s super exciting!’ You can enter it here.