There is no reason that weeknight dinners need to be a nightly tradeoff between time, energy, and “what’s even in the fridge?” A couple of go-to recipes can make dinner easier when the day is everything but. The following suggestions focus on versatile ingredients, easy substitutions, and simplified cleanup. Choose several for the upcoming week, and keep repeating the favorites.
1) Sheet Pan Chicken
Since everything is cooked together, there will be fewer dishes to clean, and the food will taste even better!
Use chicken thighs because they stay juicy even if dinner runs a few minutes late.
Add the vegetables to a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Coat the veggies with the oil and seasonings and place them around the chicken to allow for some caramelization. Finish the dish with a squeeze of lemon straight from the fruit.
2) Shrimp And Rice
Shrimp are perfect for those busy weeknights, because they cook really quickly. All you need to do is sauté the shrimp in either butter or olive oil (your choice), along with some garlic (the more the better), and a dash of lemon juice at the end to make it special. You can serve it with some instant rice or leftover rice that you already have to make it even more convenient. If you want more food on your plate, cook a bag of ready steamed green beans in the microwave to have as a side.
3) One Pot Pasta
One-pot pasta is a quiet weeknight miracle: pasta, sauce, and greens all in one place.
Cook the pasta until it is firm to the bite. After that add the sauce and a handful of spinach to stir in and wilt the leaves. Top with parmesan to add a creamy flavor. You can also add some canned white beans if you have some to add in the protein.
4) Taco Night
Everybody loves tacos! Everyone can customize their taco to their own liking. For the meat, you can just brown it, add some simple spices (chili powder, cumin, salt), and add some water so it’s saucy. Put toppings in bowls and let everyone assemble their tacos. You can use the leftovers to make nachos or taco salad.
5) Chicken Stir Fry
Frozen stir-fry blends save time on chopping, and they still get super tender-crisp when cooked! Sear your thinly sliced chicken, then throw in your veggies and a quick sauce made from soy sauce, garlic and a little bit of honey. You can serve it over rice, noodles, or even some shredded cabbage. Be sure to keep the heat fairly high so your pan doesn’t steam everything into mush!
6) Baked Salmon
Salmon is a fancy meal but is quite easy to prepare. Simply mix some herbs with Dijon mustard and spread the mixture over the salmon. Bake the salmon until it turns opaque and flakes easily. Then serve with a basic salad kit or some potatoes you can microwave. The mustard will keep the salmon moist and add flavor so you won’t need to add a sauce.
7) Bean And Cheese Quesadillas
Quesadillas are the “I have five minutes” dinner that still feels like a real meal.
Mix black beans with salt and some cumin. Spread the mixture on the tortillas and add the cheese. Toast the tortillas in a skillet on both sides until they are crisp, and then cut them into wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream, or you can prepare a quick slaw as well.
8) Breakfast For Dinner
Eggs are fast, filling, and flexible with whatever vegetables are left.
Sauté your choice of onions, peppers, spinach, or mushrooms, then add some beaten eggs and continue cooking on low heat. You can add some cheese if you want it to be a little more gooey and rich. It will feel like you have completed the meal by adding some toast.
9) Tortellini Soup
With nearly no planning, soup can be made into dinner with the addition of some store-bought tortellini. Just warm up some tomato soup, add a splash of cream (or half-and-half), and simmer the tortellini directly in the pot. It’s fast and kid-friendly, and if you want something a little fresher, toss in a side salad!
10) Chicken Pita Wraps
A rotisserie chicken is a great time saving dish that still gives the impression of having been home made.
Stuff warm pita with chicken, crunchy veggies, and a quick sauce from yogurt, lemon, and garlic.
Everyone eats at different times? It’s portable! Leftover chicken can be used for lunches or soup.
11) Sausage And Peppers
This dinner focuses on bolder flavors while using less ingredients. To start this dish, brown sliced sausage. Then, using the same pan, add in some sliced and sautéed peppers along with some onions so that they can pick up all the delicious drippings (flavor). This meal can be served on hoagie rolls, over some rice, or even next to some roasted potatoes (delicious). Even better, this meal reheats nicely for some lunch the next day!
12) Pasta Primavera
Primavera is more of a method than a recipe. It’s a great way to use the fresh produce available. This is what you can do. Sauté the vegetables until tender-crisp, and mix with the pasta, a splash of olive oil, and a little extra pasta water to help combine it. A little parmesan and/or a squeeze of lemon makes a great dressing. You can use as many varied colors of vegetables as you want!
13) Fried Rice
For fried rice, you will need a rice that is not freshly made, so you can use leftover rice. Scramble an egg and then make a stir fry with some rice, peas, soy sauce, and a bit of sesame oil if you have it. For additional protein, include leftover chicken, ham, or tofu.
It’s fast, thrifty, and built for using odds and ends.
14) Mini Meatballs In Marinara
Making smaller meatballs will help them cook faster and help your meatball mixture stretch further. To keep your meatballs tender make sure you simmer them in Marinara sauce. You can serve your meatballs in toasted buns or with some spaghetti! If you are in a pinch, you can use frozen meatballs and they will still taste good in a good sauce. Your meal will be complete with a bagged salad.
15) Loaded Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes are an easy go-to option for dinner. Speed up the cooking process with your microwave then finish the cooking with a bake to create a crispy skin on the potatoes. You can top your baked potatoes with broccoli, cheese, and any protein of your choice such as leftover chicken or beans.
It’s a solid “everyone gets their own” kind of meal.
16) Chickpea Curry
Canned chickpeas and curry powder can do a lot of heavy lifting.
Chop and sauté the onion and garlic (if you want to). Add chickpeas, tomatoes or coconut milk with spices and simmer until thick enough to spoon. Serve over rice. Before serving, add a handful of spinach for satisfaction.
17) Pork Chops
Pork chops are easy to cook, and if you are using thinner cuts, the cooking time is even less! Sear the pork chops and then add in some sliced apples, with a touch of butter and a little broth or cider to make a quick sauce to go with it. The sweet and savory flavors make this dish taste more complicated than it really is. Serve with some greens to make the meal complete.
18) Greek Salad
Salad-for-dinner is easier if it has real protein and something bready.
Mix some fresh veggies with feta and olives. Then, add some chicken (either leftover or rotisserie). Simple dressings made with olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano keep the salad bright. Add feta and olives, and include some bread on the side as it makes it feel hearty instead of “just salad.”
19) Veggie Ramen
With some simple enhancements, instant ramen can turn into a full meal. For example, mushrooms and spinach can be put into the broth, and a soft boiled egg can be added to boost flavor. If the seasoning packet is too salty, you can replace some of it with a bit of soy sauce. Instant ramen is warm, quick, and unexpectedly varies by your own imagination.
20) Quick Chili
One of the best things about chili is how easy it is to make, along with how well it stores for leftovers. Simply brown your meat, throw in your beans, tomatoes and spices and let it simmer while you clean up.
It gets better as it sits, so leftovers are a bonus.
Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips, or rice.
21) Pesto Pasta
Jarred pesto is a weeknight secret weapon that is bursting with summertime flavor. Combine hot pasta with the pesto for an instant delicious meal, just be sure to hold back a bit of the pasta water to help loosen the pesto and make it saucy. For added sweetness and color, toss in some cut cherry tomatoes. If your meal needs more protein, mix in some white beans or leftover chicken.
22) Caesar Wraps
You won’t even need to turn the stove on to make this delicious dinner. All you have to do is chop some romaine and toss it with Caesar dressing and some sliced cooked chicken. Then roll everything up into a tortilla or wrap, and you’re all ready for dinner. Plus, you’ll have some salad mix left over for lunch tomorrow!
23) Baked Feta Pasta
Baking feta with tomatoes creates a creamy, tangy sauce with almost no effort.
If using fresh tomatoes, roast until they burst then stir and toss with pasta. You can add spinach to wilt or chickpeas for extra weight. It’s uncomplicated but tastes really good.
24) Beef And Broccoli
Meals like these stay on weekday menus because they are so fast to make. For this one, get your pan really hot and then sear some thinly sliced beef. While the beef is cooking, steam some broccoli. For your sauce, mix together soy sauce and garlic. You can also add a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, but that is optional. The beef and broccoli gets served over rice, which will soak up a lot of that delicious sauce. If you’re in a hurry, using microwave rice is totally fine.
25) Chicken Parmesan
Making Chicken Parm can be done without the hassle of messy frying.
Bread the cutlets, bake until crisp, then top with marinara and mozzarella for the final few minutes.
The end result is still cheesy and crunchy, it just has less clean up. Serve it with some pasta or an easy salad.
26) Veggie Frittata
A frittata is basically a fridge clean-out with eggs, and it’s hard to mess up.
First, sauté the veggies so they don’t make everything watery. Next, add in the beaten eggs and cheese. Cook on low until everything is set. You can finish up with the broiler to brown the top. Cold leftovers are also delicious, and they are great reheated.
27) BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Chicken bites and some bottled BBQ sauce is about as low effort as it gets. To make it a bit more enticing, heat up the chicken and sauce so they’re both warm and oozy, then pile them high on burger buns. To add a bit of freshness and crunch to the burger, it might be a good idea to add some of that pre-made cabbage slaw on top to make it feel a bit healthier. This is a really good one for people to serve to a lot of people at one time.
28) Lentil Soup
You don’t need to soak lentils before cooking them and they also cook faster than most dried beans. Combine them with carrots, onion, garlic, and cumin, and simmer until the mixture is thick and all the vegetables are tender. Adding a bit of lemon juice really helps bring out all the flavors in the dish. Pair with some bread, and you are all set for dinner.
29) Mushroom Pasta
Mushrooms add flavor to a basic cream sauce to make it even better. Sauté until browned, then add cream or half and half and reduce. Then, mix with pasta and a good amount of black pepper. If you would like some greens, you can toss in some spinach or peas.
30) Tofu Bowls
Once you learn the simple steps, tofu can become something quick and easy. Start by drying and cubing it, and then place it in a piping hot pan to cook until it is golden brown. Add a sauce mix of soy sauce, ginger, and a little bit of honey or sugar. Serve this with rice and broccoli or any other veggies you have.
It’s satisfying and keeps well for leftovers.
31) Tuna Melts
Using what we have in the cupboard and fridge, we can make this comfort food! Top some bread with melted cheese and mix canned tuna with some mayo and seasoning, then toast it. For a classic pairing, it goes with tomato soup, whether it is homemade, in a box, or canned. This meal is really simple and can provide a lot of portions if needed.
32) Chicken Couscous
Couscous is ready in about 5 minutes, and that’s the kind of time-saving help weeknights need. Sauté some chicken and veggies, then stir them into the couscous and add a little lemon and olive oil. The couscous quickly absorbs all the delicious flavors so you don’t need to let it simmer for a while. You can also use shrimp, chickpeas, or leftover steak.
33) BBQ Salmon
An easy way to add a ton of flavor to your meal is by using barbecue sauce on the salmon. Roast the salmon until the fish turns opaque and it begins to flake, and serve it with roasted green beans, or broccoli. The sweet and smoky glaze combination tastes great with rice or with some roasted potatoes as well. You can pick a sauce that you already like so that you don’t have to guess.
34) Grain Bowls
You can build grain bowls many ways so you never get bored of them for lunch. Use rice, quinoa, or farro for the base. For protein try beans, chicken, tofu, or eggs. Then choose some veggies, either raw or roasted. Finally, add a sauce, like vinaigrette, tahini, salsa, or yogurt dressing. After making a few you won’t even need a recipe!
