23 Easy Dinner Ideas That Get Dinner on the Table Fast
There are nights when a big involved recipe can bring joy—when digging in and cooking can help you relax after a long day. These easy dinner ideas are for the other nights. Most take 30 minutes or less; others rely on pantry staples or store-bought shortcuts (frozen tortellini, jarred sauces, rotisserie chicken), and all require minimal cookware and cleanup.
Could you toss together a chicken quesadilla with whatever veggies are about to go bad in the fridge? Sure, but where’s the fun in that? Our go-to easy meals are jam-packed with one-pot dishes and sheet-pan dinners. You’ll also find hearty bowls, speedy noodles, and satisfying dinner salads that double as meal-prep winners. So whether you’re overworked, really hungry, or both: Welcome. Your path to a quick and easy dinner starts here. Let’s get you through to the other side.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Gerri Williams1/22Halal Cart Chicken Salad
Store-bought rotisserie chicken forms the base of this easy dinner idea. (Vegetarian? Swap roasted chickpeas for chicken.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Rosanna Anil, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea2/2215-Minute Teriyaki Chicken
Who would’ve thought that DIY teriyaki could be a 15-minute meal? Use pre-sliced chicken breast or chicken thighs to make your life even easier.
Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco3/22Air-Fryer Chicken Tikka
Chicken tikka cooked in a tandoor might not be in the cards for your average Monday night—but this version made in an air fryer certainly is. Pro tip: Use the leftovers to make a really great chicken sandwich tomorrow.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Linden Elstran4/22Chicken and Cabbage Stir-Fry
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown, Bowl by Meilen Ceramics5/22Chicken Meatballs and Green Beans in Tomato Broth
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen6/22Smoky Brown-Butter Pasta
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kelsi Windmiller7/22Zaru Soba (Cold Buckwheat Noodles)
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley8/22Sheet-Pan Pierogies and Beets
Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Christina Allen9/22Basil Fried Rice
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon10/22Gnocchi Piccata
This simple one-pot dish needs a spot in your weekly meal plan. It boasts the savory flavors of chicken piccata, but the meat is swapped for shelf-stable gnocchi.
Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht11/22Crispy Tofu With Peanut Sauce
Family dinners can be tricky, but this vegetarian recipe is one of our guaranteed crowd-pleasers (yes, even for picky eaters). Crispy tofu cubes plus a velvety peanut butter sauce are a match made in heaven.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser12/22Tortellini With Garlicky Brown Butter and Dill
Photograph by Travis Rainey, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley13/22Divorce Salad
This main-dish salad requires a bit of prep (marinated beans that get better the longer they sit in the dressing). Come assembly time, the low-maintenance greens and beans get finished with store-bought fried onions and a mountain of shaved Parmesan.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Leslie Raney Garetto15/22Simple Spaghetti Carbonara
The weeknight-friendly Roman pasta needs barely 10 ingredients (most of which you probably have in the kitchen already). Use pancetta or guanciale—or even bacon in a pinch—to add porky richness; or make carbonara with any short pasta if you’re out of spaghetti.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness16/22Turmeric-Dill Shrimp Stir-Fry
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christina Allen17/22Pad Kra Pao
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness18/22Weeknight Pumpkin Chili
When you want true comfort food, look no further than chili. There’s no need to break out the slow-cooker for this one—it comes together in just 35 minutes thanks to canned pumpkin purée.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi19/22Cheesy Pork and Tomatillo Skillet
We love one-skillet dinners. This one can be served in any number of ways: Scoop over rice, roll into a burrito, or grab a bag of corn chips and dig in.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kendra Vaculin, prop styling by Emma Ringness20/22Egg Drop Dumpling Soup
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Thu Buser, and Prop Styling by Christina Allen21/22Soy-Glazed Salmon Bowls
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie22/22Spiced Beef Taco Bowls
This easy dinner idea was designed for speed by leveling up store-bought taco seasoning. To save even more time, pulse the salsa in the food processor before using it to chop your aromatics—or opt for a good jarred salsa and skip the food processor altogher.
