These Easy Dinner Recipes will be your go to in no time. When life gets busy and days are hectic, you just want something easy to cook in your kitchen.
Easy dinners doesn’t have to mean boring or mediocre food. You can still cook one delicious meal, some times one that can rival any fancy restaurant meal, with some of these great easy dinner ideas.
We have compiled these fabulous Easy Dinner Recipes just for you. It has easy soups, skillets and quick meals, as well as some easy crockpot and baked dishes.
The whole idea is minimum hands on cooking time on your part, and yet you end up with cracking delicious easy meals for your family. Go through all these wonderful super easy dinner recipes and decide what you are cooking tonight…
1. Mediterranean Fish with Tomato and Olive Tapenade
Your favorite fish, in a Mediterranean avatar! Imagine a nice chunk of white fish, pan seared and topped up with the goodness of this bright delicious tapenade. This looks and tastes like a gourmet entrée, straight from some fine restaurant. But you will be amazed how quick it all comes together and how little effort it demands.
2. Islander Pork (The BEST Crock Pot Pork Chops)
These crock pot pork chops, AKA Islander pork, are your new weekday best friend. Melt in your mouth tender meat in a delectable sauce. If you can spare 10 minutes, your crock pot or instant pot will do the rest!
3. Korean Ground Beef Bowl
This Korean Ground Beef Bowl has just the right combination of sweet, salty, umami and just a touch of spicy. Try it when you crave some Asian flavors, or just need something super quick!
4. Creamy Lemon Chicken
Easy and delicious! This chicken can make for a relatively easy week night meal, but looks and tastes so good it will impress guests as well. I love it with orzo, pearled couscous or bread! On it’s own, great for the keto crowd!
5. Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp)
Who won’t get mesmerized when some lush and plump shrimp make a grand entry sizzling and bubbling in an insaaaanely delicious sauce… Gambas al Ajillo! If you like your scampi, your are going to love this Spanish twist on your beloved garlicky shrimp.
6. Pesto Bruschetta Chicken
This gorgeous dish highlights two summer favorites: fresh basil and vine ripe tomatoes! It’s a great keto meal prep option, only 10 minutes of prep time and then your trusty old oven does the rest.
7. Creamy Tuscan Soup
This Creamy Tuscan Soup is the ultimate bowl of cozy. Hearty sausage, sun dried tomatoes and kale (or spinach) in an amazingly flavorful creamy broth… so, so good. And it’s super easy! You can have this bowl on the table in about 30 minutes.
8. Mediterranean Pasta
This Mediterranean Pasta is your new weeknight best friend. It’s super quick, like 20 minutes quick, and has great flavors the whole family will love. With just a few simple ingredients, this easy dinner will be on the table in no time. And it’s also versatile. Missing an ingredient? No problem!
This can be a great meatless Monday dinner, or you can customize it with the protein of your choice. It’s a light and refreshing dish that’s perfect for hectic weeknights, but looks and tastes fancy enough for special occasions.
9. Gorgonzola Portobello Steak Skillet
This Gorgonzola Portobello Steak Skillet is sure to become a new family favorite. It’s a super easy restaurant quality meal that is an absolute flavor bomb! Steak, Mushrooms and gorgonzola are such a classic combo, why not put it all together in one skillet? Yummy…
10. Fasolada (Greek White Bean Soup)
Fasolada – The “mother of all” Greek comfort foods in a bowl. This rustic, robust, healthy & homey white bean soup is simmered with everyday aromatics like onions, garlic, tomatoes and celery. But the real magic happens when it gets enriched with a good drizzle of olive oil in the end.
11. Flank Steak Fajitas
How about a skillet full of tender, seared to perfection strips of marinated steak? Of course they are incomplete without vibrant, colorful peppers, some lime, plenty of cilantro and a little avocado. You would be pleasantly surprised that this beautiful platter can happen in less than half an hour.
12. Creamy Chicken Skillet
This creamy chicken skillet is your weekday best friend. It’s super easy, it’s super tasty and it’s a low carb bomb. Start to finish in 30 minutes, this just may become a new staple in your rotation.
13. Salmon Patties
This surely tops the pantry special night… Even if that salmon is out of a can, this will still turn out to be one very special and elegant meal! These salmon patties are enhanced with flavors and aromatics and pan fried for a crispy gorgeous crust. It’s light, it’s lean, and it’s healthy. So, do you have a can or two of salmon in your pantry?
14. Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken – it’s savory, it’s sweet, it’s tangy, and those dried chilis give it just a bit of kick. This great stir fry can be on your table in less time than a trip to the take out place!
15. Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Take your beef to a new level with these tasty pan seared garlic butter steak bites. Perfectly cooked bite sized morsels of tender steak drenched in garlicky butter. No slaving over the stove for these, they’re ready in under 15 minutes.
16. Creamy Parmesan Chicken Meatballs
This pot is the ultimate in cozy comfort. Tender, juicy meatballs smothered in one of the most decadently creamy and deliciously cheesy sauces. This happens pretty fast too. All you need is some warm noodles and you are all set for an easy weeknight meal.
17. Japanese Beef Curry (or any meat of your choice)
Japanese curry is nothing like other curries you have seen or imagined. It’s more like a cross between stew and curry. It’s a thick, rich, velvety and glossy concoction that’s sweet, savory and umami in nature.
This Japanese Beef Curry has a milder and sweeter flavor than the curries of India and the Caribbean, but it’s equally packed with flavor.
18. Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
This right here is a winner, winner Chicken dinner!! It has that creamy, dreamy, garlicky parmesan sauce with spinach and sundried tomatoes. All these bold flavors enhance modest chicken into soul warming Italian flavors. This Tuscan chicken… easy enough to put together on a busy week night, yet elegant enough to serve to company.
19. Pesto Shrimp and Grits
This Pesto Shrimp and Grits is an amazing fusion of two of our favorite cuisines: Italian and American Southern. Just imagine succulent shrimp coated in that herby, garlicky, nutty pesto sauce. Sound good? Now pile them on a bed of creamy grits enhanced with fresh parmesan cheese. If you love comfort food, this is a new star in your kitchen!
20. Crack Chicken
This addictingly delicious Crack Chicken is loaded with creamy cheesy goodness. And it’s topped with bacon. This easy recipe is equally great in the crockpot or instant pot.
21. Sausage Potato Casserole
This hearty casserole combines two comfort food staples, sausage and potatoes. Add in a generous helping of veggies and you have one great complete meal!
22. Meaty Cabbage Soup
This hearty, meaty cabbage soup is the perfect one pot dinner. It’s loaded with protein and healthy veggies. Cook it in the crock pot, instant pot or on stove top, it’ll turn out great every time.
23. Swedish Meatballs
These Swedish meatballs are the ultimate comfort food. Tender, perfectly cooked meat spheres smothered in the most delectable sauce. You’ll keep coming back for more!
24. Portuguese Mussels
These Portuguese mussels are packed with flavor. They’re look so fancy they make a great special occasion meal, but are so easy they’re perfect for any weeknight!
25. Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken
This Hawaiian Pineapple chicken is a fall off the bone hit. Just a few minutes of hands on time and your trusty crock pot or instant pot does the rest!
26. Korean Style Ground Pork Soup
This Korean inspired soup is a new favorite. Perfectly seasoned ground pork, twirly noodles, bok choy and soft boiled eggs in a delectable coconut based broth. Slurp!
27. Shrimp de Jonghe
Shrimp de Johnge… This is a classic Chicago restaurant appetizer. Sizzling jumbo shrimp laced in butter, garlic and sherry, adorned with a crispy bread crumb topping.
28. Loaded Cauliflower Soup
This loaded cauliflower soup is cozy in a bowl. Hearty, creamy soup loaded with cheese, scallions and bacon. You won’t even miss the potatoes when slurping down this low carb treat!
29. Crustless Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
Pot pie without the pie? Yes, if you are like me craving those comfy, cozy flavors without the extra work. This one is for those lazy days.
30. Green Rice Casserole
This green rice casserole is a great addition to your holiday spread. Creamy, cheesy goodness with spinach and peppers, this might become a new tradition!
31. Chicken Provençal
Take a peek into my pot. Beautiful golden brown chicken braised in white wine, nestled between eye catching olives, plump cherry tomatoes, oh-so French shallots, tangy capers and plenty of garlic and herbs. Life can’t be more beautiful!
32. Johnny Marzetti
Who is Johnny Marzetti? One hearty and nostalgic American casserole, that’s who. You might call him by another name, but you know this one!
33. Mongolian Beef
Mongolian Beef – Melt in your mouth tender strips of beef stir fried in a silky velvety sauce. You can stir fry this in less time than a trip to the takeout place! Or for other options, try the crock pot or instant pot methods.
34. Moroccan Lentil Soup
Give your regular lentils an exotic makeover with this delectable soup. The warm and flavorful combination of Moroccan spices will forever change your idea of a bowl of lentils.
35. Hawaiian Pineapple Fried Rice
Add some island flair to your fried rice. This quick and easy one pot meal is loaded with flavors and whips up in 20 minutes or less!
36. Italian Sausage Bake
This Italian Sausage Bake is a simple and easy dish and requires only a few basic ingredients. A side of pasta or crusty bread and your meal is complete!
37. Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
Quick, easy and tasty. That’s how we would sum up this vegetarian black bean chili. Start to finish in 30 minutes. Whip it up on a weeknight and make a big batch, you’ll want leftovers tomorrow!
38. Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
Sweet, Savory, Sticky, Saucy… Meet your new favorite meal prep option. This baked honey mustard chicken only takes 10 minutes of your time, the oven does the rest!
39. Crockpot Barbacoa Pork
Super easy, Super tasty and Super versatile. Make a huge batch and you can serve a big crowd or have leftovers for days. Try in tacos, a Buddha bowl, or use your own creativity!
40. Cajun Shrimp Scampi
Ending this easy dinner recipes list with one of our favorites… This Cajun shrimp scampi is so quick and easy you can make it any weeknight. But it is so fancy and tasty you just might want to save it for special occasions!
So there you go, we’ve got you covered with some tasty easy dinner ideas. No more “what’s for dinner?” question. Cook through all these easy dinner recipes and make it easy on you…
Save all these wonderful recipes by either pinning this collection or bookmark it in your favorite folder. Enjoy…
The 40 BEST Easy Mains for Dinner
If you're on the lookout for some Easy Dinner Recipes, you've come to the right place! This collection of 40 recipes all take minimum hands on time to make your life easy!
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup pesto sauce
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
For the grits
- 1 cup grits
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To cook the Grits
- Bring 4 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add salt to the water and stir in grits. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until cooked, stirring frequently. Refer to package for cooking time. Slow cook take about 15-20 minutes, quick cook about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese. If grits thicken too much while preparing shrimp, you can stir a little additional water into the grits.
To cook the Pesto Shrimp
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 1-2 minutes per side.
- Reduce heat to low, add in pesto sauce and cherry tomatoes. Cook until sauce is warmed.
- Serve immediately over grits.
Notes
- Let me know which recipes you try, I love hearing from you!
Check out these other great recipe collections!
Sunday Dinner Ideas
Flatbread Recipes
Tilapia Recipes
Mac and Cheese Recipes
Pancake Recipes
Ramen Recipes
Meatloaf Recipes
Mexican Recipes
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
Get griddling! Try these Blackstone Recipes!
Never miss a recipe!
Join the GypsyPlate mailing list and get easy dinner recipes right in your mailbox. From homestyle comfort food to exotic dishes from around the world.
