Our Best Easy Dinners

For a recipe to be easy, I want it to not only be done in less than 45 minutes (prep to plate), it also needs to be made with ingredients I have in the house or are easy to find. Easy dinners lists that include laborious steps and complicated ingredients are exactly what I would classify as NOT easy. 

That’s why our list of easy dinners includes the recipes you can ACTUALLY make tonight, with very little effort or a trip to a specialty food store.

Easy Chicken Dinners

When I want a quick dinner recipe, I almost always reach for chicken. Chicken breasts specifically are such a quick and easy to cook and an excellent form of protein. These recipes come together quickly and are truly delicious.

1. Easy Baked Chicken Legs
2. Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken with Jalapeño Ranch
3. Easy Sticky Cashew Chicken
4. Tomato Spinach Orzo Pasta with Crispy Chicken Thighs
5. Curried Grilled Chicken Breast
6. Bacon Chicken Bolognese
7. Easy Chicken Curry
8. Lemon Rosemary Air fryer chicken thighs
9. Creamy Mushroom Parmesan Chicken
10. Creamy spinach garlic chicken

Sheet pan dinners

What’s better than throwing a bunch of stuff onto a sheet pan and shoving it into the oven? Nothing, that’s what. It’s the perfect easy weeknight dinner and is so versatile.

1. Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken with Potatoes
2. Fish en papillote
3. Sheet pan Harissa Chicken
4. Easy lemon butter baked fish
5. Sheet pan Margherita pizza

Pasta dinner recipes

Another great option for speedy suppers. Pasta is something we all have in the pantry and can be turned into dinner with almost any sauce imaginable. Whether your fridge is stocked or it’s end-of-the-month bare, we have a recipe for you!

1. Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta Primavera. 
2. Bucatini Amatriciana.
3. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. 
4. Creamy Lemon Corn Orecchiette with basil pesto. 
5. Easy Baked Feta Pasta with bacon and mushrooms. 
6. Creamy Tuscan salmon shrimp pasta.
7. Pasta Puttanesca.
8. Easy cherry tomato prosciutto pasta. 
9. Pasta with basil cream sauce. 
10. Cacio e Pepe. 

Steak dinner ideas

Dinner is always delicious when steak is involved, right? Simple cooked with a delicious marinade or served with creamy sauce, there’s no way steak is ever a bad idea.

1. Steak Tagliata
2. Grilled steak with Anchovy Compound Butter
3. Steak tacos with salsa and avocado
4. Easy Salt and pepper Balsamic steak marinade
5. Grilled sirloin steak with caper herb sauce
6. Steak with gorgonzola sauce
7. Chicken fried steak
8. Grilled steak with blistered tomatoes
9. Beef tenderloin in truffled mushroom sauce

Seafood dinner ideas

Seafood and fish are excellent for quick cooking. They are incredibly versatile and can be used in a myriad of ways. Curry? Yup! Grilled? You betcha. Pan fried until golden and delicious? Abso-freakin-lutely!

1. Easy creamy garlic shrimp
2. Seafood paella
3. Creamy Cajun Salmon
4. Shrimp and grits with bacon and corn
5. Creamy garlic seafood pasta
6. Blackened Salmon Tacos with Smashed Avocado
7. Thai Red Coconut Fish Curry
8. Creamy shrimp curry
9. Creamy salmon pasta
10. Pan seared fish tacos with smashed avocado

Pork dinner ideas

If you love pork, you’ll swoon over these recipes. Pork is a great form of protein to cook when you’re short on time as it cooks in minutes and is always delicious. From pork chops to tenderloin, these recipes will have you satisfied.

1. Juicy grilled pork chops
2. Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs
3. Greek pork souvlaki
4. Garlic herb pork fillet skewers
5. Pork fillet with mushroom risotto
6. Creamy mushroom pork chops
7. Honey-garlic pork ribeye steak
8. Pork schnitzel

Salad ideas for dinner

Salad for dinner might bore some but during the summer months when eating anything warm is just not an option, these salad recipes will come to the rescue.

1. Thai beef salad
2. Grilled Fattoush Salad with Eggplant
3. Easy Lemon Shrimp Salad
4. Greek chicken salad
5. Steak salad with tomatoes and goat’s cheese
6. Chicken quinoa salad with peas and feta
7. Peri-Peri chicken salad with charred corn

Vegetarian dinner recipes

Whether you are looking for Meatless Monday inspo or trying to mix up your usual plant-based fare, these recipes are filled with flavor and texture

1. Easy Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce
2. Creamy vegetable curry
3. Vegetarian enchiladas
4. Creamed spinach stuffed butternut squash
5. Creamy vegetable pot pie
6. Cauliflower korma curry
7. Easy vegetable taco soup
8. Cheesy vegetable bake