59 Easy Dinner Ideas Because Everything Else Is Hard
Whether you carefully plan out your weeknight meals ahead of time or wing it based on whatever’s in your pantry, this robust list of easy dinner ideas has something for you.
There are plenty of tips here for meal planners: slow cooker dishes that can be prepped the night before, sauces that can be mixed a day or two ahead of serving, and chicken dinners that can be made and frozen until needed. But if meal prep is just not your style, there are plenty of easy dinner recipes here that can be whipped up on the spot. We’re talking time-focused, easy recipes with minimal ingredients that impart lots of bang for their buck. Think super-speedy fish dishes and pantry pastas you can make without a shopping trip, composed salads, plus a plethora of flavorful sheet pan and one-pot riffs that majorly cut down on post-dinner cleanup.
So save these recipes in one place and pull them up when dinnertime is approaching and you’re feeling like the only option is cereal. Your future self will be happy you did.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini1/5910-Minute Shrimp With Green Beans and Creamy Lemon-Dill Dip
Don’t sleep on this fresh and summery easy dinner idea. This no-forks-allowed meal is begging to be eaten on the deck and also has great make-ahead potential: Both the shrimp and the green beans can be prepared the day before, as can the easy sauce.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova2/59
Easy Grilled Salmon in Foil With Lemon-Garlic-Herb Butter
This easy grilled salmon recipe is foolproof, resulting in flaky fish with a garlic-herb butter sauce. Spoon the cooked fish and sauce over mashed potatoes or a warmed spoonful of canned black beans.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone3/59
Smoky Beans and Greens on Toast
Beans and greens are great on almost every carb: in tortillas as tacos, over rice, on flatbread. But whenever crispy, skillet-fried toast is an option, you should probably take it.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi4/59
Cacio e Pepe
Two pantry staples (cheese and pepper) are the key players in this classic Roman pasta—the rest is technique. Along with butter, olive oil, and pasta water, these two ingredients transform into a silky sauce and turn humble noodles into a savory, rich, robust meal.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova5/59
Make-Ahead Crispy Chicken Cutlets
No need to reach for the takeout menus when you have a stash of cutlets from this easy chicken recipe in the freezer. Plus: there’s no dredging and frying, and they keep for up to three months.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens6/59
Grilled Greens and Cheese on Toast
Pile charred Halloumi cheese, kale, and cherry tomatoes on garlicky bread for an almost-instant dinner from the grill. No bread? No problem—toss everything else together and eat it as a salad.
- Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo7/59
Yogurt and Spice Roasted Salmon
This recipe for simple salmon bites is one of our favorite 30-minute meals. The fish is roasted at high heat for just 10 minutes, creating a delightful char on the outside of each piece, while the creamy marinade keeps the interior flavorful and tender.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne8/59
Dahi Dal (Yogurt Lentil Curry With Spinach)
Sometimes all you need is just a couple of fresh ingredients thrown into a pan of simply seasoned dal to create a warming and comforting dish. The spinach, along with a little yogurt, makes this soothing yet deeply delicious.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne9/59
Apple-Cheddar Dutch Baby
This dish comes from the book Bare Minimum Dinners by Jenna Helwig. The whole point of the book? Doing less in the kitchen. Sign us up.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Chris Morocco10/59
Baked Feta and Greens With Lemony Yogurt
Warm feta is the star of this easy dinner idea. Crispy chickpeas and wilted greens deck it out into a full vegetarian dinner. The best part? The whole dish can be ready in 40 minutes, our limit for busy weeknights.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell11/59
Salad Pasta
Not pasta salad—salad pasta. Which means a whole salad’s worth of greens folded into pasta for a complete dinner in one bowl. Using chickpea pasta adds protein, and the garlicky anchovy sauce complements it exceptionally well.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova12/59
Baked Sweet Potatoes
This simple preparation of sweet potatoes can become the base for many lunches and weeknight meals. Top them with black beans and guacamole for a taco-inspired situation, curried chickpeas for something a little spicy, or marinara and mozzarella for a pizza potato.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell13/59
15-Minute Cherry Tomato Pasta
This is one of our most popular recipes every summer, and that's no surprise. Sweet cherry tomatoes burst open in warm olive oil, creating a luxuriously silky sauce that’s ready in minutes.
- Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo14/59
Pork Chops and Padrón Chiles en Escabèche
Escabèche translates to “marinade,” which is precisely what you’re making here: a bright, tangy marinade full of pickled vegetables that also makes an ideal sauce for juicy, thick-cut pork chops.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow15/59
Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce
Egg is the only binder in these quick (and budget-friendly) salmon cakes, making the dish naturally gluten-free and a snap to prepare. Just pan-sear the patties in a little olive oil, and dinner = done.
- Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo16/59
Quick Potato Gnocchi
Homemade gnocchi may not strike you as a speedy weeknight meal, but this one is, we promise! The secret is a box of instant potato flakes, which cuts the prep time for those delightful pasta pillows down to a breezy 15 minutes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell17/59
Winter Salad Hummus Bowls
It doesn’t get simpler: paint a plate with creamy hummus, then massage kale and brussels sprouts with a sweet, tangy dressing of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and honey. Top it off with jammy eggs.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson18/59
Pantry Pasta Puttanesca
Keep these ingredients stocked in your pantry, and a briny, flavor-packed, classic Italian pasta will always be a dinner option.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne19/59
Sour Cream and Onion Fish
The fish is the chip in this simple weeknight supper where hearty fillets (you can use cod, halibut, salmon, or trout) get coated in a sour cream, onion, and panko mixture and crisped at high heat until golden brown.
- Photo by Dylan James Ho and Jeni Afuso20/59
Speedy Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
Thanks to a little help from a package of frozen ravioli, you can pull a skillet of toasty, bubbly lasagna from the oven in a little more than half an hour.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova21/59
Baked Salmon With Lemon and Thyme
Baking salmon in a low oven keeps the fillets moist and tender for an elegant meal that’s virtually guaranteed to become a staple in your repertoire.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell22/59
Sheet-Pan Pizza With Salami, Zucchini, and Tomatoes
Fresh summer zucchini and tomatoes shine in this sheet-pan dinner. Is it pizza? Yes. Is it salad? Also yes. Is it delicious? Absolutely. Don't worry about the category, just make it.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton23/59
Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta With Garlic Bread Breadcrumbs
This is one of those easy dinner recipes perfect for nights when you're too tired to even think about chopping up vegetables. Use a jar of roasted red peppers, a can of white beans, and whatever pasta shape you can find in your pantry to whip up this hearty pasta dish, which is sure to satisfy the whole family. The beans help the sauce get nice and creamy even though there's no dairy in this dish.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova24/59
One-Pan Chicken Drumsticks with Rice and Beans
Clean out your pantry with this customizable one-pan dinner, seasoned with whatever spices you have on hand. Add a bit of freshness with a scattering of mint, cilantro, or parsley.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou25/59
Spicy Braised Tofu
In this riff on dubu jorim, a popular Korean side dish, thick slices of pan-fried tofu quickly braise in a sweet-and-spicy sauce.
- Photo by Sohla El-Waylly, Food Styling by Sohla El-Waylly26/59
Paneer With Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
This dish of seared paneer channels flavors traditionally found in matar paneer—coriander, cumin, chile, and ginger—by incorporating them into a lightning-fast cherry tomato sauce.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich27/59
Any Way Niçoise
File composed salads under your easy-dinner-ideas tab, stat. Switch up this endlessly riffable dish to suit your preferences. For the best combination of textures, always include a mix of cooked and raw vegetables. Could you do a riff with chicken nuggets? We're on board.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow28/59
Fried Garlic Noodles
These simple, flavorful noodles are seasoned with soy sauce and a sprinkle of umami-rich dashi powder, plus three dimensions of garlic: fresh, fried, and infused into oil.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow29/59
Peppery, Creamy Greens With Eggs
The low-fuss trifecta of eggs, cream, and greens come together in a quick, satisfying meal that can be on your table in 20 minutes. Choose robust greens here (think: mustard greens, arugula, watercress, or a combination) to balance the rich eggs and cream.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley30/59
My Mother's Butter, Tomato, and Onion Sauce
This beloved Marcella Hazan recipe is famous for one primary reason—it's unbelievably good. But it's also notable because it has just four ingredients and cooks in under an hour. Store it in the fridge for the week and reheat while the pasta boils.
- 31/59
Syrniki (Сырники / Farmer’s Cheese Pancakes)
Classic Russian cheese pancakes have a tangy-sweet flavor that goes well with a dollop of jam or sour cream on the side.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell32/59
Freeform Chicken Meatballs With Carrots and Yogurt Sauce
Shaping meatballs into perfect spheres is too fussy for a weeknight meal. Instead, drop dollops of spiced ground chicken onto a sheet pan and roast with carrots until both are golden brown.
- Photo & Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin33/59
Spiced Lentil and Caramelized Onion Baked Eggs
The secret to these stewy baked eggs is a can of lentil soup. Any basic variety of lentil soup will work—you'll dress it up with the earthy spices and caramelized onions.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson34/59
Salmon Burgers with Red Pepper Mayo
Made from canned salmon—plus a few pantry staples you likely keep in stock—and slicked with tangy red-pepper mayo, this burger is easy to toss together on the fly.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini35/59
10-Minute Sausage Skillet with Cherry Tomatoes and Broccolini
Toss a little butter into the pan at the end of cooking this speedy skillet supper to turn the juices from the cooked tomatoes and sausage into a velvety sauce—serve with good bread for soaking up every last bit.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell36/59
Hot Sesame Noodles with Scallions and Pork
This stir-fry calls for scallions, carrots, and ground pork, but it's worth noting you can swap in ground turkey—or any ground meat—and whatever veggies you have on hand with equally delicious results. It’s a flexible, clean-out-the-pantry hero that can be on the table in 30 minutes.
- Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo37/59
Baigan Chokha
This Trinidadian dish, a favorite of Epi contributor Ramin Ganeshram, is made of eggplants that have been broiled and mashed with garlic and tomato. Enjoy it with eggs for breakfast or with roti for lunch or dinner.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell38/59
Cauliflower Carbonara
Cut into small pieces, roasted cauliflower mingles with pasta, bacon, and Parmesan in this hearty, comforting twist on classic carbonara.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson39/59
Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili
This easy dinner recipe delivers all the flavors of slow-simmered chili in just 30 minutes, and chances are good that you've already got the ingredients—canned beans, tomato sauce—in your pantry.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova40/59
Pasta With 10-Minute Pesto
Blanching fresh basil leaves before blending with Parmesan is the key to this vibrant, ultra-herby pesto. Perfect for pasta (kids love it over cheesy tortellini), this sauce can also dress up pizza, scrambled eggs, and more.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton41/59
Crispy Chicken and Potatoes With Cabbage Slaw
These cumin-spiced chicken thighs and roasted potatoes are balanced by a zippy, jalapeño-spiked alternative to coleslaw. Make a few extra thighs to turn into tacos later in the week.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson42/59
"Antipasto" Pasta with Sausage, Artichoke Hearts, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Inspired by Italian antipasto platters, this pasta is tossed with dry-cured sausage, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and a simple sauce flavored with tomato paste and olive oil.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson43/59
One-Pot Pasta Primavera With Shrimp
Boil the pasta in just the right amount of water for this clever primavera, and you won't need to drain anything: What's left at the end is a creamy, veg-packed pot of noodles cooked entirely on the stovetop in a single vessel.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone44/59
Quick Baked Chicken Parmesan
The easiest chicken Parmesan is also fast—perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner. Serve with garlic bread and a side salad to round out the meal.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell45/59
Sheet-Pan Pasta Bake With Chicken and Kale
The crispy topping per bite ratio is so much higher than your standard pasta casserole here—and the add-ins make it extra tasty.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova46/59
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
Making risotto in an electric pressure cooker means no stirring and no ladling of stock one cup at a time. Just get it going on high pressure, walk away, and make a drink.
- Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone47/59
Slow-Cooker Green Chicken Chili
You don’t even need to chop up onions or bell peppers for this hearty but effortless dinner: A jar of tomatillo salsa takes care of everything. It’s bulked up with sweet potatoes and canned pinto beans.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton48/59
Grain Bowls With Chicken, Spiced Chickpeas, and Avocado
Store-bought rotisserie chicken brings you one step closer to this nourishing grain bowl dinner; the rest is assembly.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone49/59
Baked Mustard-Crusted Salmon With Asparagus and Tarragon
Bake salmon fillets next to tender spring asparagus on one sheet pan for an easy fish dinner that comes together in just 20 minutes.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson50/59
Herby Chicken Kofta Meatballs
Make a big batch of these spicy herbed meatballs and stash them in your freezer. That way, you’ll always have the building blocks for an easy weeknight dinner on hand.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone.51/59
Brown-Butter Crab Roll
Lobster rolls may get all the glory, but crab rolls are way easier to pull off at home—and, dare we say it, maybe even more delicious.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Mindy Fox52/59
Pasta With 15-Minute Ham, Pea, and Cream Sauce
Ham, peas, pasta, and cream are a classic combination. Here, the mixture gets a kick of bright flavor with the addition of fresh lemon zest and parsley.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton53/59
Shrimp with Herby White Beans and Tomatoes
This one-pot meal is herby, sweet, and garlicky all at once. If you don't have time to make the herby sauce, use store-bought pesto instead.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz54/59
3-Ingredient Orecchiette With Sausage and Fennel
Be sure to add the sausage back into the pan just before the last toss to maintain all those delicious crispy bits.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson55/59
Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken
Step one: Cook a lot of chicken in a slow cooker. (The recipe calls for boneless thighs, but you can also use chicken breasts.) Step two: Divide cooked, shredded meat into a few containers; freeze. Step three: Thaw as needed for use in tacos, stir-fries, chicken salad, soup, curry, cacciatore—you get the idea. The sky's the limit!
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz56/59
3-Ingredient Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
The key to balancing the richness of the cream and the sweetness of the canned pumpkin purée in this simple sauce is salty, starchy pasta water.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell57/59
Calzones With Chorizo and Kale
Make a big batch of these grown-up pizza pockets and freeze the extras for some night when you're short on time. They go great with a simple arugula salad.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi58/59
Sheet-Pan Cumin Chicken Thighs With Squash, Fennel, and Grapes
Juices from cumin-rubbed chicken thighs season sweet roasted grapes, fennel, and squash in this simple yet flavorful one-pan dinner. Mint adds a fresh finishing touch.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell59/59
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Three words when it comes to easy dinner ideas: Cheesy. Chicken. Enchiladas. This reliable crowd-pleaser comes together in record time with jarred salsa and leftover cooked chicken.
