Are you looking for a delicious way to make Saturday night special? Are you stuck in recipe rut, wanting something new and exciting for dinner that’s sure to satisfy the whole family?
Give your cooking routine a makeover with these Saturday Night Dinner Ideas!
With a few simple ingredients, little prep time, and minimal effort in the kitchen, you can enjoy mouthwatering dishes without any of the hassle.
We’ve got all kinds of recipes that are perfect for special occasions like date nights or hanging out with friends and family.
Get ready to serve up some serious flavor this weekend!
Saturday Night Dinner Ideas:
1. Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta
How about some weekend dinner with restaurant favorite? Craving that irresistible Louisiana Chicken Pasta from the Cheesecake Factory but want a cozy night in without spending a bomb? You’re in luck!
This copycat recipe brings the fan-favorite dish right into your own kitchen. Featuring crispy, Cajun-seasoned chicken and a creamy, spicy parmesan sauce, this dish promises every single oomph of your restaurant favorite.
Get the Recipe: Louisiana Chicken Pasta
2. Smash Tacos (Big Mac Tacos)
This is super fun Saturday night dinner idea for your family. Have you heard about Smash Tacos? They are quirky, they are unexpectedly finger licking delicious, and they are the latest food sensation.
Don’t under estimate this hand held meal as just the latest media food-fad. One bite into it, and I bet you will do a little happy dance, munching a mouthful and savoring the familiar taste in new form.
Get the Recipe : Smash Tacos
3. Spicy Ramen
This Spicy Ramen Noodles recipe is super easy to make, and is packed with flavor. And you can totally customize the heat!
Best of all, it only takes about 30 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Spicy Ramen
4. Grilled Chicken Tacos
These Grilled Chicken Tacos are the best! Perfectly marinated chicken nestled in warm corn tortillas, along with simple toppings that compliment the chicken without overpowering.
Give these quick, easy and budget friendly chicken tacos a try on your busy weeknights, and get ready for rave reviews!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Tacos
5. Jamaican Curry Shrimp
Looking for some exotic Caribbean flavors this weekend? Look at this Curry Bowl!! Bold and insanely inviting!
My ultimate comfort food, Jamaican Curry Shrimp, is a vibrant, spicy, and incredibly flavorful dish that perfectly captures the essence of Caribbean cuisine.
Get the Recipe: Jamaican Curry Shrimp
6. Chicken Scarpariello
Chicken Scarpariello, or “Shoemaker’s Chicken”, is a delightful dish where chicken braises with sausage and peppers in a white wine sauce.
It’s yum!
Get the Recipe: Chicken Scarpariello
7. Spaghetti and Meatballs
Spaghetti and Meatball is everyone’s favorite, young and old alike. Plump, perfectly seasoned meatballs simmer in marinara sauce, then get served with fun twirly spaghetti.
Serve this comfort food classic up for a Saturday dinner, or whip it up on a weeknight to make your regular day feel special.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti and Meatballs
8. Marry Me Chicken
This creamy, dreamy Marry Me Chicken recipe is the perfect dish for weeknight dinner, or any time you crave something delicious!
You will come back to this one again and again.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken
9. Jambalaya
If you’re on the lookout for a perfect company meal to feed a crowd, this Jambalaya recipe is it!
One of America’s most iconic dishes, this rice comes fully loaded with sausage, chicken, shrimp, veggies and a whole world of big flavors.
Get the Recipe: Jambalaya
10. Shish Kabob
This beef Shish Kabob recipe is a grilling season classic.
Marinated beef cubes are skewered with veggies and grilled to juicy perfection. YUM!
Get the Recipe : Shish Kabob
11. Beer Battered Fish Tacos
Our Beer Battered Fish Tacos are the best ever! I mean, what’s not to love? Extra crispy fried white fish gets wrapped up in everyone’s favorite handheld meal. You just can’t beat them!
One bite into these deliciously crunchy tacos and we bet you won’t be able to stop. They’re that addictive.
Get the Recipe : Beer Battered Fish Tacos
12. Beef and Broccoli
Make dinner a breeze with our 25-minute Beef and Broccoli stir fry, packed with fresh broccoli and tender beef in a succulent umami sauce.
Serve over steaming white rice for a satisfying and easy dinner.
Get the Recipe: Beef and Broccoli
13. Chicken Gyros
If you’re looking for a fun new meal, our Chicken Gyros recipe is just what you need! Perfectly marinated chicken is stuffed inside pitas with all the Greek fixings.
One of our favorite Saturday night dinners!
Get the Recipe: Chicken Gyros
14. Chuck Roast
This beef Chuck Roast Recipe is the ideal meal for a special occasion, family get together, or a hearty Saturday dinner.
Melt in your mouth tender meat, along with carrots, potatoes and onions, braise low and slow in a perfectly seasoned wine infused broth.
Get the Recipe: Chuck Roast Recipe
15. Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
This easy Beef Bulgogi recipe features beautifully marinated steak that cooks in a flash on stovetop or on the grill.
It’s one of the most popular dishes out of Korea for good reason!
Get the Recipe: Bulgogi
16. Ground Beef Stir Fry
Does dinner in 20 minutes sound good? Then this Ground Beef Stir Fry recipe is a jackpot for you!
Packed with hearty ground beef, an assortment of colorful veggies, and a stir fry sauce that’s an umami lover’s dream, this may be the easiest dinner you’ve ever cooked.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Stir Fry
17. Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry)
Stir fry with French fries? You bet!! That’s how this Peruvian beef stir fry is served.
Lomo Saltado is a beautiful fusion of Peruvian and Asian cuisine, and the ingredients work so well together to make this national favorite.
Get the Recipe: Lomo Saltado
18. Fricase de Pollo (Cuban Chicken Fricassee)
Fricase de Pollo, or Cuban Chicken Fricassee, features tender chicken that is sautéed, then stewed in a tomato and wine sauce along with veggies and plenty of seasonings.
Try it, we bet you’ll love it!
Get the Recipe: Fricase de Pollo
19. Steak Bites with Potatoes
Steak and Potatoes, such a classic combo. Well no need to fire up the grill and oven both, we’ve combined the pair into one quick and easy skillet meal, Steak Bites with Potatoes!
Tender, succulent steak bites along with perfectly caramelized potato chunks are a total match made in heaven.
Get the Recipe: Steak Bites with Potatoes
20. Shrimp and Polenta
This easy Shrimp and Polenta recipe is comfort food at it’s finest!
I mean, how can you beat plump, succulent shrimp sautéed in a Mediterranean inspired sauce all atop creamy parmesan polenta? It’s too good!
The next time you’re craving seafood, this is the recipe to make…
Get the Recipe: Shrimp and Polenta
21. Kalua Pork (Hawaiian Style Pulled Pork)
This Kalua Pork recipe uses minimal ingredients, but ends up super tasty and succulent.
It’s perfect for a Hawaiian themed Luau party, and can be cooked in the slow cooker, instant pot, or oven.
Get the Recipe: Kalua Pork
22. Coq au Vin
This Coq au Vin recipe, based off of the dish made famous by Julia Child, is a flavorful stew of chicken and veggies braised in red wine.
This one’s a keeper!
Get the Recipe: Coq au Vin
23. Taco Pasta
Combine two of your favorite meals, and you get… Taco Pasta! This 30-minute recipe fuses taco flavors with comforting goodness of creamy, cheesy pasta.
Big time YUM!
Get the Recipe: Taco Pasta
24. Jerk Shrimp
Juicy, plump shrimp with BOLD island flavors… Jerk Shrimp! Caribbean style.
Spicy, balanced with the right amount of sweetness and loads of zesty, bright flavors. Just a few simple ingredients from your pantry and you can create an amazingly delicious shrimp recipe in under 20 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Jerk Shrimp
25. Pinchos (Puerto Rican Chicken Skewers)
Pinchos are just your simple meat-on-a-stick meal, but these tender bites are super delicious.
Get ready to grill one of the most popular street foods out of Puerto Rico… Pinchos De Pollo!!
Get the Recipe: Pinchos
26. American Goulash
This American Goulash recipe is pure nostalgic comfort food with ground beef and macaroni in a flavorful tomato based sauce.
This easy pasta dish is a classic that just never gets old!
Get the Recipe: American Goulash
27. Chicken Fried Steak
Do you like comfort food? Well this Chicken Fried Steak recipe is it! Like, it might be the official definition in the Merriam Webster Dictionary.
Tender cube steak is batter fried, and then smothered in a creamy white country gravy. Yeah, that screams “Cracker Barrel”, doesn’t it?
Get the Recipe: Chicken Fried Steak
28. Moqueca (Brazilian Seafood Stew)
Now, this one is special… Moqueca is a marvelously tasty Brazilian seafood stew, with a decadent coconut milk base.
Simple ingredients like tomatoes, peppers and pantry staple seasonings, along with a squeeze of lime at the end, all come together to create magic.
Get the Recipe: Moqueca
29. Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa)
This roasted chicken is a total flavor Bomb! Tender, juicy, beautifully crisped up chicken loaded with awesome bold, delicious flavors. This isn’t your regular rotisserie chicken. Just imagine 10 times more flavorful.
This my friends is Pollo a la Brasa, the famous Peruvian Chicken, the chicken the whole world slowly started swooning over.
Get the Recipe: Peruvian Chicken
30. Taco Soup
This easy Taco Soup Recipe makes a hearty pot that’s loaded with ground beef and veggies, and perfectly seasoned with homemade taco seasoning.
It’s a sure hit!
Get the Recipe: Taco Soup
31. Mexican Picadillo
Mexican Picadillo is a boldly flavored ground beef recipe that’s loaded with plenty of veggies and seasonings.
It’s an easy dinner option when the Mexican cravings hit.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Picadillo
32. Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is a famous Sicilian dish with a chunky, herb infused eggplant and tomato sauce. And it’s just too good!
It’s a light, meatless pasta meal, yet the firm, buttery eggplant gives it a heartiness that will keep your appetite satisfied.
Get the Recipe: Pasta alla Norma
33. Jamaican Jerk Chicken
This Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe is marinated in an amazing concoction of ingredients.
It’s a total flavor bomb with a customizable level of kick.
Get the Recipe: Jamaican Jerk Chicken
34. Spicy Sausage Pasta
A bowlful of this Spicy Sausage Pasta is what cozy nights are meant to be. Adding a crusty piece of bread with a glass of red is just an extra bonus.
Make this spicy sausage pasta when your heart craves for something easy, yet tantalizing.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Sausage Pasta
35. Hungarian Goulash
In pursuits of happiness, let’s make a hearty and delicious pot of Authentic Hungarian Goulash.
This Hungarian national dish is beloved for a reason. A warm and hearty beef soup with fork tender beef, along with some root vegetables slow cooked for hours in a sweet paprika laced broth.
Get the Recipe: Hungarian Goulash
36. Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
This crock pot Tuscan chicken is drenched in a creamy sauce loaded with great Mediterranean flavors.
It’s one easy and delicious make ahead Saturday night dinner!
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
37. Flank Steak Fajitas
These flank steak fajitas are the perfect easy option when that Mexican food craving hits. Perfectly marinated, melt in your mouth tender beef strips with colorful peppers.
You’re in for a fun meal with this one!
Get the Recipe: Flank Steak Fajitas
38. Salisbury Steak
If you’re craving classic comfort food, this easy Salisbury Steak recipe is the way to go! Perfectly seasoned ground beef patty smothered in mushroom gravy.
Can it get any better than that? How about putting it all on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes!
This vintage recipe, popular in restaurants and diners for decades, is a soul warming meal that will be loved by all…
Get the Recipe: Salisbury Steak
39. Steak Gorgonzola Flatbread
This Steak Gorgonzola Flatbread not only looks gorgeous, it’s super fast.
It’s a fun take on pizza and is loaded with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and arugula.
Get the Recipe: Steak Gorgonzola Flatbread
40. Shrimp Creole with Sausage
This Shrimp Creole with Andouille Sausage is a flavor bomb! Plump shrimp and hearty sausage in a great Creole seasoned tomato sauce.
If you’re a fan of New Orleans style food like us, this one is going in your rotation!
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Creole with Sausage
41. Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits
Are you a fan of grits? Then this Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits recipe is a must-try for you!
Jazz up your Saturday night dinner with succulent shrimp and smoky andouille sausages smothered in a savory gravy. Pour over creamy, cheesy grits, serve and wait for the compliments!
You don’t have to be Southern to love this divine dish!
Get the Recipe: Shrimp and Grits Recipe
42. Birria Tacos
We are ending this list of Saturday night dinners with a great taco recipe. These Birria Tacos are one of our favorites, and an ultimate taco recipes that you all will simply love!
It is so unique and flavorful because of its Birria sauce and perfectly cooked meat that takes this dish to next level of deliciousness.
So enjoy this outstanding version of tacos, which you all will crave from time to time…
Get the Recipe: Birria Tacos
So there you go, plenty of Saturday night dinner ideas to choose from. Which one are you going to try first?
Check out these other great recipe collections:
Sunday Dinner Ideas
Friday Night Dinners
Weeknight Dinners
Meatless Monday Recipes
Taco Tuesday Recipes
Dinner Ideas for Tonight
40+ BEST Saturday Night Dinner Ideas
This list of fun and easy Saturday Night Dinner Ideas includes a big variety of dishes, and includes something for every craving.
Ingredients
- Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta
- Smash Tacos (Big Mac Tacos)
- Spicy Ramen
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Jamaican Curry Shrimp
- Chicken Scarpariello
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Marry Me Chicken
- Jambalaya
- Shish Kabob
- Beer Battered Fish Tacos
- Beef and Broccoli
- Chicken Gyros
- Chuck Roast
- Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
- Ground Beef Stir Fry
- Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry)
- Fricase de Pollo (Cuban Chicken Fricassee)
- Steak Bites with Potatoes
- Shrimp and Polenta
- Kalua Pork (Hawaiian Style Pulled Pork)
- Coq au Vin
- Taco Pasta
- Jerk Shrimp
- Pinchos (Puerto Rican Chicken Skewers)
- American Goulash
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Moqueca (Brazilian Seafood Stew)
- Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa)
- Taco Soup
- Mexican Picadillo
- Pasta alla Norma
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Spicy Sausage Pasta
- Hungarian Goulash
- Crockpot Tuscan Chicken
- Flank Steak Fajitas
- Salisbury Steak
- Steak Gorgonzola Flatbread
- Shrimp Creole with Sausage
- Shrimp and Grits
- Birria Tacos
Instructions
- Pick a recipe that looks good.
- Gather ingredients.
- Cook your new favorite Saturday night dinner!
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.
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