75 Easy Dinner Recipes for Your Busiest Weeknights
These quick (and cheap) meals can be whipped up in no time to feed the whole family!
If it's time to add some new family dinner recipes to the rotation, you've come to the right place. We've rounded up our best easy dinner ideas, from inexpensive make-ahead meals to 30-minute meals the whole crew will enjoy. Getting a nutritious dinner on the table that meets everyone's dietary requirements can be challenging, but there's a recipe here for everyone. Whether you need low-calorie meals, vegetarian dinners or kid-friendly recipes that will satisfy even the pickiest eater, there's sure to be an easy dinner recipe or two here that checks all the boxes.
Several of these recipes make use of your trusty kitchen gadgets. We're talking air fryer recipes that come together in minutes, slow cooker recipes that bring hearty, slow-simmered flavor to the table with minimal effort and plenty of Instant Pot recipes that make use of the do-it-all kitchen appliance. Plus, there are plenty of one-pot meals and sheet pan dinners that make cleanup a breeze.
Whether you're looking for a recipe for your next potluck dinner, a cozy date night meal that doesn't take forever to make, a simple Sunday dinner recipe or just something that makes the week a little less chaotic, you're sure to find what you're looking for here. Keep reading to see our easy dinner recipe ideas.
Pasta e Piselli
This cozy dinner comes together using just five ingredients: pasta, chicken bouillon, frozen peas, parmesan and onion. It's a one-pot meal that takes just 25 minutes to create, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you need a bowl of comfort food ASAP.
Get the Pasta e Piselli recipe.
RELATED: 50 One-Pot Meals for an Easy Dinner and Even Easier Clean Up
Herbed Shrimp and Watercress Salad
This fresh and satisfying salad comes together with succulent quick-poached shrimp, luscious avocado and a simple homemade dressing. Plus, it only takes 30 minutes to make.
Get the Herbed Shrimp and Watercress Salad recipe.
RELATED: 30 Seriously Easy Shrimp Recipes
Sheet Pan Chicken With Apples and Delicata Squash
If you're looking to add a new sheet pan dinner to the rotation, bookmark this one! The easy autumnal dinner brings together juicy chicken prepared with lemon and rosemary along with roasted delicata squash and apples.
Get the Sheet Pan Chicken With Apples and Delicata Squash recipe.
RELATED: 30 Best Sheet Pan Dinners That Make Cleanup a Breeze
Five-Spice Steak and Broccoli
Put down the takeout menu! This savory, satisfying weeknight dinner can be whipped up in just 30 minutes.
Get the Five-Spice Steak and Broccoli recipe.
RELATED: 83 Steak Recipes That Make Dinner at Home Feel Extra Fancy
Pinto Bean and Poblano Soup
This smoky, protein-packed soup served over fluffy rice is sure to become a family favorite.
Get the Pinto Bean and Poblano Soup recipe.
Steak, Peach, and Watercress Salad
This summery salad comes together in less than 30 minutes. Steak pairs perfectly with juicy peaches, toasted walnuts and flavorful blue cheese crumbles.
Cumin Lime Shrimp
Pan-fried shrimp + flavorful cumin-lime butter = this delicious dinner that can be on the table in 10 minutes.
Get the Cumin Lime Shrimp recipe.
Air Fryer Falafel Salad
Skip the takeout order and try these DIY falafel balls. They come together in your air fryer and are the perfect protein for a simple cucumber and herb salad.
Get the Air Fryer Falafel Salad recipe.
Shepherd's Pie
Nothing's quite as comforting as this meat-and-veggie casserole topped with a thick layer of creamy mashed potatoes.
Get the Shepherd's Pie recipe.
RELATED: 50 Best Casserole Recipes for the Ultimate Comfort Food
Tandoori-Spiced Cauliflower Chicken Flatbreads
This flavorful rub is inspired by tandoori masala and takes both chicken and cauliflower to the next level. Once you add in the seasoned onions, warm naan, and creamy Greek yogurt, you've got a meal the whole family will be begging you to make again.
Get the Tandoori-Spiced Cauliflower Chicken Flatbreads recipe.
Creamy Kale Pasta
This decadent pasta is packed with good-for-you things like leafy greens and protein. The trick is to reserve some pasta water and mix it in with your sauce and kale at the end to bring it all together.
Get the Creamy Kale Pasta recipe.
Peanut Sauce Soba With Crispy Tofu
Whether you're a vegetarian household or just need a new idea for meatless Mondays, this easy noodle dish deserves a spot in your rotation. Crispy air-fried tofu marinated in garlic and soy sauce can't be beat.
Skillet Lemony Chicken and Artichokes
This is impressive enough to serve at your next dinner party, but luckily, it's also easy to make. It comes together in just one pan and takes less than an hour to make.
Get the Skillet Lemony Chicken and Artichokes recipe.
RELATED: 60 Healthy Chicken Recipes for the Best Dinner Ever
Smoky Black Bean and Quinoa Soup
This soup is not only delicious, it's packed with protein and fiber. Make an extra-large batch and freeze your leftovers so that you always have this cozy, nutritious meal on hand.
Roasted Hash and Jammy Eggs
Nothing gets the kids (or adults, honestly) excited like breakfast for dinner. Especially when it's this combo of jammy eggs, roasted potatoes and crispy bacon.
Get the Roasted Hash and Jammy Eggs recipe.
Pasta e Fagioli
The best thing about this cozy dish is that it can be modified depending on what you have in your pantry, making it an easy budget meal. All you need is some pasta, canned beans, stock and whatever veggies you want to include.
Get the Pasta e Fagioli recipe.
Grilled Lemony Chicken and Kale
Fire up the grill for this meal, which comes together in less than 30 minutes. You'll grill not only the chicken, but also the kale and the lemon.
Get the Grilled Lemony Chicken and Kale recipe.
RELATED: 30 Easy Grilled Chicken Recipes That Make the Perfect Summer Meal
Air Fryer Salmon Flatbread
This is a perfect weeknight dinner. It takes just 15 minutes to come together thanks to the air fryer, and it's packed with protein and veggies.
Get the Air Fryer Salmon Flatbread recipe.
Creamy Corn Pasta
Shake up your weekly pasta night with this easy recipe. It only requires five main ingredients and has fresh flavors thanks to the fresh basil and puréed corn.
Get the Creamy Corn Pasta recipe.
Chickpea Salad With Smashed Cucumbers
One way to cut down on costs (and prep time) is to add some meat-free meals into the rotation. This delicious protein-packed salad brings together chickpeas, crunchy vegetables, creamy feta and a flavorful dressing.
Get the Chickpea Salad with Smashed Cucumbers recipe.
RELATED: 37 Delicious Healthy Salads That Are Fresh and Filling
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