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
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova2/59Easy 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 Boone3/59Smoky Beans and Greens on Toast
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova5/59Make-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 and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo7/59Yogurt 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 Wayne8/59Dahi Dal (Yogurt Lentil Curry With Spinach)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne9/59Apple-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 Morocco10/59Baked 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 Stockwell11/59Salad 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 Boytsova12/59Baked 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 & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo14/59Pork 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.
