50 Easy Dinner Ideas
Need to find dinner recipes for tonight—fast? Try our top easy dinner ideas that are delicious, healthy, and made in…
Need to find dinner recipes for tonight—fast? Try our top easy dinner ideas that are delicious, healthy, and made in 5 to 30 minutes.
The question we get asked most often is, “What are your favorite easy dinner ideas?” We get it: there are 101 things to do and adding cooking can be stressful, especially on weeknights. But making healthy recipes doesn’t have to take all day!
As two cookbook authors and recipe experts, here are our best easy dinner ideas you can make in 5 to 30 minutes—listed in order of speed! In many cases, making one of these simple dinner ideas is even faster than takeout. The recipes work for many diets, including vegetarian recipes, vegan recipes, gluten-free recipes, pescatarian recipes, and chicken recipes. It all starts with our favorite 5 minute dinner recipe!
Top fast and easy dinner recipes—recipe list
Here's the very definition of easy dinner recipes: 5 Minute Tacos! This dinner will materialize before your eyes! These tacos are filled with taco-spiced scrambled eggs, which take on a meaty texture and flavor in a flash. Top with salsa fresca, red onion, and hot sauce, and prepare to be amazed.
Total time: 5 minutes
Hello and welcome to a faun healthy easy dinner: the hummus bowl! This simple concept requires no cooking at all: layer a dollop of hummus with crunchy veggies and serve with pita wedges. It’s easily customizable and you can make it super basic or fancier with easy additions of ingredients.
Total time: 5 to 10 minutes
Shrimp are one of the simplest paths to a fast and easy dinner, and this recipe makes them taste irresistible in minutes. Try this Cajun Shrimp! Toss shrimp with a little Cajun seasoning and sauté them up in a skillet. It takes only 5 minutes to put together and has irresistible savory flavor.
Total time: 5 minutes
If there’s easy dinner recipe we lean on time and time again, it’s the mighty quesadilla. This Mexican and Tex Mex recipe is genius in its simplicity, from the golden tortilla outsides to its melty, gooey interior. This easy quesadilla makes a crispy, deliciously seasoned tortilla melt every time.
Total time: 7 minutes
Who doesn’t love a good grilled cheese sandwich? Here’s one with a glamorous twist: the avocado grilled cheese. Simply adding an avocado and tomato to a standard grilled cheese makes it fit for serving to company! Although it’s a simple dish, grilled cheese can be gussied up as much or as little as you like.
Total time: 10 minutes
There’s nothing we love more than a great artisan pizza, with the perfect supple charred crust and gooey toppings. But of course, there’s not time for that every day. Here’s a great shortcut to pizza night: Pita Pizzas! This recipe uses pita bread to stand in as the crust of a personal pizza. It’s the trick to a quick and easy meal, and it’s especially a hit with kids.
Total time: 10 minutes
Next up in our fast and easy dinner recipes: garlic shrimp! The shrimp come out impossibly juicy with the best garlic flavor. The best part? It takes under 10 minutes to make. Yep, that’s pretty unheard of in dinnertime territory. Serve with pasta or couscous and a salad for a speedy meal. Also try Cilantro Lime Shrimp.
Total time: 10 minutes
Here's a throw-together easy dinner recipe: Mediterranean Tuna Salad! Combine canned tuna with crunchy vegetables, feta cheese, olive oil and a punch of Dijon mustard for the most flavorful salad to hit your plate! Serve it with crackers as an easy lunch, or over greens for a quick dinner with pita bread and olives.
Total time: 10 minutes
What’s better than the classic combination of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil? Not much, in our opinion. So try this summery delight: the Caprese sandwich! This riff on the classic Italian salad from Capri layers the classic ingredients as a sandwich filling, with an irresistibly creamy, pesto aioli that adds a pop of savory brightness to each bite.
Total time: 10 minutes
Every now and then a recipe comes along that knocks our socks off. And so it was with this Honey Garlic Shrimp recipe! There’s nothing like the sweet savory combination of honey garlic glaze and juicy shrimp. The best part? It takes 10 minutes to make. This one is hits all the comforting, satisfying dinner notes with a lightning fast prep speed.
Total time: 10 minutes
For fast and easy meals, it’s smoked salmon to the rescue! This flavor-packed protein requires no cooking at all, which makes it ideal for quick lunches and dinners. When you just don’t have time to think, try this Smoked Salmon Sandwich! The bold flavors don’t give away it’s secrets: it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up.
Total time: 10 minutes
Some pasta recipes stand a head above the rest, and this is one of them. Try this cheese tortellini in creamy marinara sauce! In just 15 minutes, you’ve got a pasta skillet that’s a literal symphony flavor. The fresh basil-infused marinara sauce is perfectly complimented with pillows of tangy goat cheese. (It’s like this baked goat cheese dip made into a main dish.)
Total time: 15 minutes
Want a good retro-style fast dinner? Try this classic tuna melt: it’s the stuff dreams are made of! Between crusty bread is sandwiched a creamy, savory mess of tuna and crunchy veggies so perfectly seasoned that you won’t be able to stop taking bites.
Total time: 15 minutes
Here’s a quick dinner idea that’s always satisfying and works for nearly every diet. That’s right, the good old Burrito Bowl! We can thank Chipotle for its widespread popularity, but it really is a killer idea. Throw rice, veggies, and burrito fillings in a bowl and call it meal! You can make this one 15 minutes (really: we timed ourselves).
Total time: 15 minutes
Looking for a fast dinner recipe? Try this Blackened Tilapia! This Cajun technique for cooking seafood and meat makes it taste restaurant-style in minutes, ideal for fast and easy meals. Blackened seasoning has savory intrigue and makes a crispy darkened crust on the outside of the fish.
Total time: 15 minutes
Shrimp, butter, garlic, lemon, and white wine: what could be better? Yes, it’s the Italian American shrimp scampi, a classic that’s been stealing hearts and minds for decades. This version is pretty stellar: juicy, garlicky shrimp swimming in a rich, tangy butter sauce. Sop it up with crusty bread, or pour it over pasta: either way, it’s divine.
Total time: 15 minutes
Looking for a fun way to mix up dinner? Try this salmon bites recipe! Salmon is tasty in a fillet and all, but have you ever tried slicing it into pieces before cooking? It makes perfectly seasoned bites that are simple to eat and perfect for serving with rice or over a salad.
Total time: 15 minutes
Here’s a genius trick that makes a fast and easy dinner with no cooking required. That’s right, no need to grab your pan and spatula. Try this Smoked Salmon Salad! It’s healthy, fresh, and 100% cook free. Imagine: savory smoked salmon, fresh greens, fluffy goat cheese dollops and a tangy shallot vinaigrette. It’s ideal for a summer meal al fresco or fast lunch: and it comes together in 15 minutes flat.
Total time: 15 minutes
In need of lunch ideas? Try this easy veggie wrap recipe! Veggie wraps can be bland and boring, but this one is anything but. Fill a tortilla with savory chickpea salad, colorful veggies, and a tasty spread, and you’ve got a lunch that will make everyone jealous! Here’s how to build a veggie wrap that’s full of flavor.
Total time: 15 minutes
Here’s a classic dish that impresses every time: chicken piccata! Tender, golden-brown chicken cutlets are bathed in a vibrant lemon-butter sauce with pops of briny capers. This classic Italian American dish has captured hearts and stomachs around the world, and it’s a huge favorite over here.
Total time: 20 minutes
Here’s one of those “back pocket” recipes to bookmark for when you’re short on time: Garlic Butter Noodles! This easy pasta uses mostly pantry ingredients and is quick and simple to whip up in just 20 minutes. Take a bite from this pile of warm, buttery pasta and it’s pure bliss!
Total time: 20 minutes
You can tell by the shine on that creamy sauce that this one’s a good one. Welcome to one of our favorite ways to eat chicken: this Garlic Chicken recipe! The tender, juicy chicken breasts are coated in garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika, then cooked and smothered in a garlic cream sauce! Dinnertime win.
Total time: 20 minutes
Here's an easy dinner recipe that sounds fancy: Cacio e Pepe! There’s something intoxicating about this shallow bowl of steaming pasta covered in salty, creamy sauce, black pepper and fluffy bits of Pecorino Cheese. This famous Roman pasta that’s blown up in world-wide popularity.
Total time: 20 minutes
Here’s an easy dinner idea for when you’re not sure what to cook: Chickpea Tacos! This plant based recipe does heavy lifting with a short cook time and big flavors. Garbanzo beans make a flavorful filling coated in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and lime.
Total time: 20 minutes
It’s simple, it’s elegant, but it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant: Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus! Roasting it up on a sheet pan with lemon slices and fresh herbs adds effortless flavor that feels fresh yet refined. This sheet pan meal is the perfect weeknight meal.
Total time: 20 minutes
This crispy tofu recipe is easy to make and comes out perfectly seasoned, with extra crunchy edges and a tender interior. There’s no need to even press the tofu! It’s actually pretty amazing that it can go from a tasteless blob to meaty, savory cubes in just 20 minutes.
Total time: 20 minutes
This creamy spinach pasta recipe stars chewy al dente pasta and an irresistible Parmesan garlic cream sauce! The way the creamy sauce and garlic accentuate the leafy greens makes it one of our top vegetarian pasta recipes. Also try this Creamy Gemelli Pasta.
Total time: 20 minutes
Need dinner in a hurry? Enter pan fried chicken thighs! It’s hard to find meal that comes together quickly with little fuss, but this one is an absolute game changer. All you need is a simple blend of spices and this comes together in just about 20 minutes! This one is a huge hit at our house and perfect for when you need to get dinner on the table fast.
Total time: 20 minutes
This tasty mac and cheese recipe is about balance: it’s got big flavor, a bit less cheese per serving than the standard recipe. And, it’s loaded with broccoli for a dose of nutrients and fiber. Also try our Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese.
Total time: 20 minutes
Looking for a healthy and easy weeknight meal? Try this shrimp and broccoli! The pair are cooked with soy sauce and and rice vinegar until bright and savory. The contrast of the crisp tender broccoli against the juicy shrimp is really something. Serve it with rice or noodles to make it a complete meal that comes together quickly.
Total time: 20 minutes
Here’s a quick and easy dinner recipe for weeknights: try these Mushroom Tacos! Portobello mushrooms have enormous savory flavor: throw them in a skillet with some punchy seasonings and they make plant-based magic. This recipe is for when you have just a few minutes to throw together a meal. Combine the filling with creamy refried beans and a quick slaw and you’ve got dinner!
Total time: 20 minutes
This chickpea curry is the epitome of healthy weeknight dinners! It can be made in just 20 minutes, a speed record for sure. But there are no flavor shortcuts: it's bursting with garlic, ginger, cumin, and curry powder, with a bit of coconut swirled in for a creamy body. Serve with basmati rice and it's a true gem.
Total time: 20 minutes
Here's the ultimate quick weeknight meal, a filling vegetarian dinner that comes together in 20 minutes flat. Meet this soba noodle bowl! It’s filled with stir fried broccoli, red pepper and onion, mix with a savory sauce with creamy peanut butter. Even better: eggs are scrambled right into the mix (like fried rice, but with noodles!).
Total time: 20 minutes
Is there anything better than shrimp tacos? Add chips and salsa as a side, and we can’t think of much better. The cilantro sauce drizzle is creamy like ranch, but with cilantro and cumin. This easy dinner idea is fast enough for weeknights and fancy enough for entertaining: making it a double whammy.
Total time: 20 minutes
Here’s a meal that consistently makes everyone who takes a bite say Wow. Try this Pecan Crusted Salmon! It has an air of restaurant-style fancy, but it’s fast and easy to whip up on a weeknight. It takes basic salmon to the next level, coating it in a crunchy topping of nuts, seasoned breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese.
Total time: 20 minutes
Are you a salmon lover? Here's one for you: this salmon croquettes! Similar to salmon cakes or salmon patties, they're simple and incredibly tasty. Mix canned salmon with some spices and breadcrumbs, then pan fry them until golden. Serve dipped into tartar sauce or remoulade, and they're a total treat!
Total time: 20 minutes
Got pesto? Here’s a great way to use it to make an impressive dinner recipe: Pesto Chicken! Combine basil pesto with a bit of cream and it makes a stunning fresh sauce for juicy chicken breasts! It’s a quick trick that makes an everyday dinner into something special, perfect for entertaining or just an easy weeknight meal.
Total time: 25 minutes
Here’s an easy dinner that’s basic but satisfies every time: Salmon Caesar Salad! Imagine: tender, perfectly seasoned chunks of salmon nestled with bursts of crunchy romaine, juicy cherry tomatoes and crunchy croutons. It’s all covered in a creamy homemade Caesar dressing that makes each bite absolutely sublime.
Total time: 25 minutes
This recipe makes the humble solo meal into a delicious fast and easy dinner, resulting in a big batch all at once on a sheet pan! All the quesadillas are done at the same time, and they come out with a beautifully crispy exterior. In fact, it feels like a whole new version of this classic: like Quesadillas 2.0.
Total time: 25 minutes
This chickpea bowls recipe is a common repeat in our easy dinner recipes repertoire. In just 25 minutes, you have a fresh bowl of veggies that’s smothered in a tangy lemon tahini sauce. If you’re just starting to eat plant based recipes or have been eating them for years, this one is a truly tasty way to eat your veggies.
Total time: 25 minutes
Here’s a go-to fast and easy dinner: shrimp stir fry! This one is packed with flavor with a glossy, savory stir fry sauce that coats the juicy shrimp and colorful veggies. Use your favorite vegetables to make a super-satisfying dinner that pleases everyone around the table. It’s quick to whip up: just add rice or noodles to make it a meal!
Total time: 25 minutes
Looking for easy dinner recipes? When it comes to flavor and simplicity, this Honey Garlic Salmon delivers. The salmon is pan fried for brown, seared exterior, then baked in the oven until it’s perfectly tender. Drench it all in this sticky honey garlic sauce, a sweet savory glaze that adds layers of complexity in flavor.
Total time: 25 minutes
Next up in our easy dinner recipes: this mushroom pasta! It's a fan favorite recipe because of the big flavor that's possible in under 30 minutes. Imagine: creamy goat cheese and savory mushrooms, seasoned with thyme and oregano and paired with the bite of chewy pasta. An absolute showstopper.
Total time: 25 minutes
You know those recipes where people rave and only you know the secret that it’s actually easy to make? That’s the case with this Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta! There’s major wow-factor to this pasta, which comes together in just 25 minutes. Earthy, fruity sundried tomatoes lend a meaty quality to this easy vegetarian dish, which is bathed in a Parmesan cream sauce.
Total time: 25 minutes
Need a fresh dinner idea or crowd-pleasing appetizer? Try this lettuce wraps recipe! The punchy, savory filling is infused with hoisin, soy sauce and rice vinegar, mixing savory tofu with cashews and green onions. Also try these Shrimp Lettuce Wraps.
Total time: 25 minutes
This is one of our favorite fresh, easy dinner recipes and it comes together in less than 30 minutes. The peanut butter sauce is lusciously creamy, bursting with flavor from soy sauce, fresh lime juice and honey or maple syrup. Mix it together with luscious noodle strands and crunchy veggies and top with loads of fresh cilantro and crunchy peanuts.
Total time: 25 minutes
Introducing a favorite easy dinner recipe...this Vegetarian Chili! It’s beyond simple to make, and the flavor is outstanding. It’s got a hint of smokiness to highlight the tangy tomatoes and savory black beans. Top it with your favorite toppings, and it’s so hearty and savory.
Total time: 30 minutes
If we could eat just one dinner for the rest of our lives, this might be it: a skillet of creamy Tuscan chicken! What is it that makes it so outrageously good? Maybe it’s the dreamy sauce of sun dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and Parmesan, or the savory flavor explosion from the pan seared chicken breast. It's beyond delicious, you can whip it up in 30 minutes, and it will please absolutely everyone.
Total time: 30 minutes
Want a meal to impress…with a little kick? Try Shrimp Fra Diavolo! This Italian-style dish stars tender shrimp that swim in a garlicky, spicy tomato sauce. “Fra diavolo” translates to “brother devil” in Italian, alluding to the intense heat of this dish. But make it homemade and you can customize the spiciness to your taste!
Total time: 30 minutes
Ready in just 30 minutes, we affectionately call this soup “pizza soup” because it tastes like liquid pizza! The pizza flavor comes in part from the San Marzano tomatoes, an Italian variety of tomato that’s available canned. Combine with fennel and smoked paprika, throw in some Tuscan kale to the mix, and you've got one delicious soup that reminds you of your favorite pizza pie.
Total time: 30 minutes
Love a good shrimp dinner? Here’s one with your name on it: this tasty shrimp and rice skillet! Succulent, juicy shrimp sit atop a bed of fluffy rice flavored with garlic, dill and spinach. Give it a good sprinkling of feta cheese and a few spritzes of lemon juice, and it’s a total homerun.
Total time: 30 minutes
Here’s a fun way to infuse loads of veggies into your life: this tasty Vegan Stir Fry! This mess of vibrant vegetables is just as tasty as it looks. It’s all smothered in a tangy, zingy vegan stir fry sauce that you’ll want to drizzle on just about everything. We love serving with soba noodles, but it’s just as tasty with rice.
Total time: 30 minutes
Salmon is so quick to prepare and full of nutrients that it prominently features in our easy dinner recipes. Here this 10-minute baked salmon recipe makes for an ultra quick dinner, paired with a bright green pesto sauce. Serve with a whole grain like our pesto quinoa or rice.
Total time: 30 minutes
Want recipes by type? Try our top 50 Healthy Dinner Ideas, 30 Minute Meals, 40 Vegetarian Dinner Recipes, 30 Vegan Dinner Recipes, 30 Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes, and more.
Top concepts for easy dinners
Turns out, you can find dinner recipes made in less than 30 minutes with big flavor. These are recipes with fresh, high quality flavor that’s achieved without using cheap shortcuts. Outside of the easy dinners above, here are some of our favorite concepts for fast and easy dinner ideas for you to riff on:
- Simple pasta is a go to for quick dinner ideas, like 15-minute creamy gnocchi or lemon ricotta pasta
- Quesadillas are always quick: like our loaded veggie quesadilla or avocado quesadilla
- Sandwiches are the ultimate simple dinner ideas, like our 5 minute sandwich (for brinner!) or our vegan bahn mi
- Tacos are all about speed, like our black bean tacos or quinoa tacos
- Pita pizzas are perfect for “no think” dinners, like these Easy Pita Pizzas
What people are saying…
Does this sound too good to be true: recipes that are easy AND taste good? Well let us assure you, it’s absolutely possible! Here are a few recent testimonials from readers who have emailed us about the easy dinner recipes they’ve been trying:
- “My son bought me your cookbook and I am continuing to try new recipes from your book and website. I have managed to lose about twenty pounds and my cholesterol has improved. This week I made your teriyaki stir fry and mushroom pasta. Both were TERRIFIC!” –Debbie
- “I used to LOVE cooking, but have been in a slump since we went vegetarian. Tonight, the tides have turned! I made four of the five sandwich recipes I got from your blog and every single one was a winner! I have not felt this satisfied in the kitchen in such a long time! ” –Terra-Leigh
50 Easy Dinner Ideas
Print RecipeCheese tortellini makes the best easy dinner idea! Serve it up in a creamy marinara sauce flavored with goat cheese and basil.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 ounces frozen or refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (or best quality crushed tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves, tightly packed (or chopped spinach)
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- 4 ounce goat cheese log
Instructions
- Boil the tortellini according to the package instructions (fresh usually takes 2 to 3 minutes and frozen takes 2 to 5 minutes to boil). Then drain it.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, place the crushed tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, oregano, kosher salt, spinach, and whole basil leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer while the pasta cooks or at least 10 minutes.
- When the pasta is done and drained, add it to the skillet. Crumble in the goat cheese into the sauce and stir until a creamy sauce forms (if you’d like, save out a few crumbles for topping). Serve immediately.
More easy dinner ideas you might enjoy
Want more? Pick from these easy weeknight dinner recipes:
- Go for 20 Easy Dinner Ideas for Two
- Try these 50 Healthy Dinner Ideas
- Opt for 30 Dinner Ideas for Tonight
- Make brinner with 20 Breakfast for Dinner Ideas
