47 Easy Weeknight Dinners You Can Make With Your Eyes Closed
When it comes to feeding our families at home, we—food editors who cook for work all day long—need easy weeknight dinner ideas more than you can possibly imagine. Meatballs we don’t have to sear on the stovetop, for example, tomatoey shelf-stable gnocchi roasted on a sheet pan, or five-ingredient soups dreamed up by some of our colleagues in New York.
Are these low-investment, high-reward dinner ideas magical? Maybe, but more importantly, they’re strategic. So, no, you won’t find mashed potatoes here, nor will we ask you to dust off your slow cooker. And while a stir-fry is the ultimate easy dinner, you won’t see that in this list of easy weeknight dinners, either, because we already devoted an entire gallery to stir-fry recipes. What you will find below are easy recipes that you can lean on when you need a quick dinner—just like we do.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley1/47Lemony Grilled Scallops and Blistered Long Beans
Scallops are always a good move when you need an easy weeknight dinner because they only take a few minutes on each side to cook. PS: If you can’t find Chinese long beans, use green beans instead.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Christina Allen2/47
Smoky Chicken and Avocado Kale Salad
What a brilliant way to end up with a creamy dressing without really having to make one: Scoop avocado flesh into a big bowl containing thinly sliced kale, add some lime juice and oil, and then, using your hands, squeeze and mash the avocado, massaging it into the kale. That’s it. There’s your meal-worthy salad base.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Christina Allen3/47
Roast Cod With Chorizo Crisp
Understated cod gets a major glow-up in this sheet-pan dinner thanks to a crisp topping of cured sausage blitzed with breadcrumbs, herbs, and lots of cheese.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua4/47
Steak With Preserved-Lemon-Marinated Tomatoes
Toss peak heirloom tomatoes in a simple preserved lemon, soy sauce, and chile marinade while you sear off a nice, well-marbled steak for a dinner for two in no time.
- Photography by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Christina Allen5/47
Melted Fennel Pasta
“I doubted this recipe at first,” writes LasagnaQueen from Portland, Oregon, whose honesty we appreciate. But she ended up trusting it and found “it delivered a soft, silky, and deeply flavorful sauce with much less effort” than other preparations she’s tried. It’s true: This caramelized fennel method is a revelation.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht6/47
Spicy Salmon Roll Bowl
Using your broiler for this salmon recipe keeps the cooking time low—and eliminates the need to seek out pricey sushi-grade fish.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni7/47
Cheesy Chickpea Salad Toast
This open-faced sandwich of humble canned chickpeas and melted sharp cheddar gives us an opportunity to talk about hot sauce. It’s important, both for this weeknight dinner and in general, and Frank’s RedHot is the way to go here.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Christina Allen8/47
Shabu-Shabu Noodle Soup
Instant dashi and shaved beef provide both ease and deep flavor in this weeknight dinner idea, a spin on Japanese-style hot pot.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro9/47
Easy-to-Love Chicken Thighs and Couscous
Everyone needs a back-pocket chicken marinade, and this pantry-friendly version lives up to its name: Easy to love, whether you cook the bird on the grill or under the broiler.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman10/47
Panini Alla Norma
Don’t tell anyone, but we prefer this sandwich version of pasta alla norma to eggplant parm. The only two steps to complete before you start building it are making the spread and frying off the eggplant. (And if you want a little meat in the mix, sliced turkey might be a good match.)
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness11/47
Shrimp With Feta and Tomatoes
Inspired by the Greek classic shrimp saganaki, this riff features a bright mix of fresh tomatoes with shrimp and feta for a fast dinner with plenty of oomph.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen12/47
Herby Salmon and Potato Salad
This recipe calls for jarred marinated artichokes, and we have a little secret for you: Don’t toss out the artichoke brine. We have some inventive ways to put it to use.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley13/47
Frizzled-Onion Cabbage Salad
Crunchy fried onions transform a simple cabbage salad into a sensorial delight: This easy weeknight dinner is hot and cold, crisp and soft, sweet and spicy.
- Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic14/47
Easy Chicken Al Pastor
On a Thursday night when you can’t get to Mexico City or even the local taco truck, this streamlined al pastor—with fast-cooking chicken thighs—does an excellent job of recreating the experience of the more traditional version.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Christina Allen15/47
Mostly Chard Tiny Pasta Salad
Swiss chard, itsy-bitsy ditalini, salty feta, toasted pistachios, and sage take this pasta salad into winter territory. And all you need in order to turn leftovers into breakfast the next morning is a fried egg on top.
- Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic16/47
Sheet-Pan Spinach Lasagna
Smart shortcuts like store-bought fresh noodles, frozen spinach, and a rimmed baking sheet (instead of a deeper baking dish) deliver big lasagna flavor in under an hour.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua17/47
Filipino Spaghetti
Italian, this pasta is not. This now classic Filipino dish is an adaptation of versions introduced to the islands by American GIs during World War II, made with tangy-sweet banana ketchup and sliced hot dogs.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman18/47
Scallops and Chorizo in Tomato Sauce
Need proof that salty cured pork and delicate shellfish are a match made in heaven? You’ll find it in this vibrant 20-minute, one-skillet weeknight meal.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley19/47
Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad
This is one of the best chicken recipes for a weeknight dinner because the thighs cook in a flash under the broiler. And guess what? If you don’t even want to do that, you can just buy and shred a rotisserie chicken.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua20/47
Swordfish With Asparagus and Beans
The vibes: super springy. The meal: super satisfying. The labor: super minimal. The fish cooks in five minutes and the asparagus in four.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Allison Ritchie21/47
Curried Steak With Sweet-and-Sour Cucumber Dressing
With crunch from cucumber and shallots and tangy, spicy, and sweet flavors, this Thai-inspired dressing is great on grilled meats (and tasty enough to eat by the spoonful).
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley22/47
French Onion Tart
Layers of caramelized onions and sharp Gruyère cheese help this tart pack the flavor of French onion soup into every bite. Serve slices alongside a green salad for dinner.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman23/47
Tomatoes and Feta With Chickpeas
This easy weeknight dinner has all of the hallmarks of a sheet-pan dinner (quick, simple, very few dishes to clean), plus big slabs of warm, melty feta.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua24/47
Chicken-Bacon Smash Burgers
There are only eight ingredients on the list for this weeknight dinner (and one of them is ketchup), plus the pressed patties take about four minutes to cook.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Gerri Williams25/47
Broccolini and Walnut Pesto Pasta
Delicate broccolini gets blanched in the same boiling water as the pasta in this 30-minute weeknight meal, saving you from an extra pot to clean.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro26/47
Jerk Shrimp With Pineapple Salad
Turn store-bought Jamaican jerk seasoning paste into a marinade for juicy grilled shrimp in this simple summer dinner. You could serve the skewers as is or tuck everything into tortillas for shrimp tacos. Cook’s choice.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua27/47
Lemony Zucchini With Sour Cream and Dill
“I never leave reviews, but I need you to know this recipe is SO GOOD!!! I don’t even like zucchini like that!” Well, thanks, Kedi from Minneapolis. And we believe this veggie is truly deserving of your love.
- Photo by Laura Murray. Food Styling by Judy Mancini.28/47
Celery, Apple, and Peanut Salad
When you want a light, crunchy, fall-friendly salad for dinner, this celery and apple salad will be there for you. It always is.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Judy Kim.29/47
Grilled Pork Chops With Plum Mostarda
These simple grilled pork chops look like they’re the product of considerable labor (they’re not), so we recommend this recipe for those summer nights when a friend drops by for a weeknight dinner. You’ll even have time to toss together this marinated mozzarella dish as an appetizer.
- Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott30/47
BA’s Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Where you don’t cut corners is waiting for the cheese to get melty. American is the melting-est cheese there is, but a medium-sharp cheddar works too and brings richer flavor.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro31/47
Steak Fajitas
Our best steak fajitas recipe features thin strips of skirt steak, marinated in citrus and grilled over mesquite, and stuffed into warm flour tortillas. We even included a tip on how to make them sizzle as you bring them to the table.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens32/47
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
An Instant Pot is the key to making this a 30-minute soup recipe. If you’ve never used an Instant Pot, the most important thing to know is that it does all the work without your having to light one burner.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski33/47
Enchiladas Divorciadas
Okay, this one’s a little bit of a cheat because it’s only quick if you’ve prepped in advance—and almost all the components can be made ahead. But just look at them. Can you blame us?
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro34/47
Pad Thai
Unless there’s a Thai restaurant right next door, there’s a good chance you can make this easy pad thai recipe faster than having it delivered.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson35/47
Easy Fish Tacos With Spicy Sauce
Keep this 20-minute taco recipe featuring pan-seared fish fillets, a lime-infused slaw, and a creamy, spicy sauce in your back pocket for busy weeknights.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen36/47
Spiced Lamb and Shaved Carrots
Once you make this topping, which is just thinly shaved raw carrots dressed in lemon juice with herbs and red onion, you’re going to want to put it on all kinds of other meat dishes.
- Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou37/47
Golden Fried Rice With Salmon and Furikake
This technique for fried rice is superior to others: Every single grain is coated in egg yolk and fries up perfectly distinct and chewy.
- Photograph by Jenny Huang, food styling by Tyna Hoang, prop styling by Sophie Strangio38/47
Chicken With Schmaltzy Red Pepper Vinaigrette
Peppers are featured twice here: Fresh red bell peppers are sautéed in the drippings from bone-in chicken breasts while chopped, pickled hot cherry peppers star in the tangy pan sauce.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks39/47
Crispy Air Fryer Potato Wedges With Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
Don’t @ us: We think sometimes, after those really tough days, you get to call a platter of fries and dip dinner. Sweet potato fans, you can do this too.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser40/47
Tortellini With Garlicky Brown Butter and Dill
This is one of the best pasta recipes for weeknights because it relies on store-bought cheese tortellini (and you can make the sauce while they’re boiling).
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro41/47
Tuesday Night Meatballs
We used the framework from BA’s Best Meatballs and then made things as simple as possible: Heavy-hitting nonnegotiables like ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and Parmesan are all there, but there’s nothing to chop. Just stir, sear, and simmer in store-bought marinara sauce.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime42/47
Sheet-Pan Gnocchi
We have cooked this sheet-pan gnocchi a hundred times. The weeknight dinner idea comes together in 25 minutes, and because everything happens on one tray, cleanup is a breeze.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen43/47
Migas
Bulked up with a scoop of refried beans and a simple tomato salad on the side, these Mexican-style migas are an affordable breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Micah Morton. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks44/47
Japanese Curry With Winter Squash and Mushrooms
Make a big pot of this weeknight comfort food, a staple enjoyed by countless families across Japan and abroad. You’ll go to bed excited for your leftovers.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones45/47
Sesame Tofu With Broccoli
If you’re looking to satisfy a weeknight take-out craving, this vegetarian riff on the Chinese American classic sesame chicken is the move.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie46/47
Kimchi Quesadillas
Is there ever a bad time for a quesadilla? No. It can be a snack, it can be a main dish—it can be your savior. This one makes use of the rest of the kimchi and kimchi juice hanging out in that jar in the fridge.
- Alex Lau47/47
Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup
Finally, we give you an easy vegetarian weeknight dinner the whole family will love: It’s a one-pot meal of nutritive red lentils, curry powder, crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, and lots of peppery cilantro.
