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Want to get dinner on the table fast? These healthy and easy weeknight dinners take 30 minutes or less and satisfy the whole family!
“What are your best easy weeknight dinners?” We hear this question again and again. So today we’re sharing our top 10 weeknight dinners! We’re two real people with a real 4-year-old who actually eat everything you see here. We’ve weeded out things that are impractical or niche and only share recipes that are actually really good. What makes something a healthy and easy weeknight dinner? Each dinner recipe in this list:
- Takes 30 minutes or less. To us, an easy weeknight dinner should be about 30 minutes, or faster if possible.
- Uses nutrient dense, whole food ingredients. The recipes below are a combination of vegetarian, vegan and seafood recipes. Our definition of healthy is less about calorie counts and more about eating lots of nutrient dense ingredients, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins.
And now…easy weeknight dinners to try!
First up in our easy weeknight dinners: chickpea curry! This one is literally designed for weeknights and comes together in just 20 minutes. It's seriously flavorful, filled with ginger, garlic, cumin and curry powder, with a little coconut milk swirled in to make it creamy. Serve with basmati rice (or Instant Pot rice).
Some weeknight dinners 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. (In fact, it’s like this baked goat cheese dip made into a main dish.)
Here's the fastest easy weeknight dinner EVER: these Epic 5 Minute Tacos! Is it really possible to make dinner in 5 minutes? Yes. These tacos are filled with our famous "chorizo eggs", which turn eggs into a meaty texture and flavor in a flash. Top with salsa fresca, red onion slivers, cilantro & hot sauce, and prepare to be amazed. It's kind of a miracle, making it fitting for the top spot in our easy weeknight dinners.
Also try: Easy Black Bean Tacos
Here’s a genius trick that makes an easy weeknight 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 comes together in 15 minutes flat.
Here’s a quick weeknight dinner idea that’s always satisfying and works for nearly every diet. That’s right, the good old Burrito Bowl! Throw rice, veggies, and burrito fillings in a bowl and call it meal! Here’s the thing: a good burrito bowl can actually take a while to make at home with all the components. Use packaged pre-cooked rice: there are a few brands on the market (like Seeds of Change).
There are salmon recipes and then there’s this creamy Tuscan salmon. It might result in a few marriage proposals, which is why we also like to call it “Marry Me Salmon!” The tender fish is bathed in a luscious cream sauce with garlic, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and capers, making each bite bright, salty, and luxurious. It tastes restaurant-style, but it’s easy to whip up at home in just 30 minutes.
This 20-minute creamy goat cheese pasta is so tangy and creamy, sweet from the tomatoes and lightly peppery from the fresh basil. The secret to the creaminess is that goat cheese, which brings a body to the sauce that’s almost like a vodka sauce. Combined with chewy penne, it’s out of this world! Best of all, you barely have to think to make it.
Also try: Creamy Instant Pot Pasta
If there’s one recipe that’s a sure hit in our house, it’s creamy chicken skillets. And this one is an absolute family favorite: try this creamy lemon garlic chicken! The chicken is coated in spices and pan fried until tender and juicy, then topped with a quick pan sauce made with lemon, garlic and a little cream.
In need of a quick and easy dinner? Here’s an idea that’s so quick, simple and bursting with flavor, it will become a family favorite in no time: this Garlic Shrimp recipe! It’s amazing what a little garlic, butter, and lemon juice can do for a pile of shrimp. Throw them in the pan and it makes absolute magic in under 15 minutes of prep time!
This recipe makes the humble solo meal into a delicious weeknight 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. Here's how to whip up a pan of baked sheet pan quesadillas that are so good, everyone will be begging for more.
The our ultimate fast and easy dinner recipe: Naan Pizza! Get this: it’s faster than delivery pizza, healthier, and it tastes better. So why order out when you can make tasty pizza in? Packaged naan bread is easy to find these days, making it easy to run to the store on a naan pizza run. You’ll never need delivery or frozen pizza again!
Is there anything better than shrimp tacos? Combine shrimp tacos with chips and salsa, and maybe some refried beans on the side, we can’t think of much better. What we love about this shrimp tacos recipe is that it’s both an easy weeknight dinner and perfect for entertaining, making it a double whammy.
Salmon is so quick to prepare and full of nutrients that it often features in our top picks for easy weeknight meals. This 10-minute baked salmon recipe makes for an ultra quick dinner. You can eat it on its own, or pair it with our bright green chimichurri sauce. For a seriously quick dinner, serve with quinoa, couscous, or roasted brocolli.
Instead of simmering for hours, you can get big flavor in this tortilla soup in just over 30 minutes. The secret here is adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chilis: it brings in a smoky flavor without adding too much heat! It’s not too spicy, so it pleases eaters of all kind and qualifies as one of our easy weeknight dinner recipes. Serve with our Easy Vegan Cornbread for a simple side.
And last up in our easy weeknight dinners: 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.
Can you have too many chili recipes? We think not. Introducing our new favorite easy spin…this Black Bean Chili! It’s beyond simple to make, and the flavor is outstanding. (We hope you’ll agree.) 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, you’ll forget it’s healthy, too.
Here's an easy weeknight dinner that pleases everyone: Greek chicken! We’re suckers for impressive-looking one pan meals, and this Mediterranean-style meal has charisma in spades. Bake the chicken with tomatoes, olives, garlic, lemon, and feta cheese, and it comes out with beautiful bold flavors.
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.
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 30 minutes. Earthy, fruity sundried tomatoes lend a meaty quality to this easy vegetarian dish, which is bathed in a Parmesan cream sauce.
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.
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.
21 Easy Weeknight Dinners
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
Description
This chickpea curry is the ultimate healthy and easy weeknight dinner! It’s done in 20 minutes, totally plant based, and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 6 cups (5 ounces) baby spinach leaves (or chopped spinach)
- 28-ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas
- ½ cup coconut milk
- White or brown basmati rice, to serve
Instructions
- If you’re serving with rice, start the basmati rice.
- Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger (or grate it).
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and spinach and saute for 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted.
- Carefully pour in the tomatoes, then add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and chickpeas. Cook for 5 minutes until bubbly.
- Stir in the coconut milk until fully combined, then remove from the heat. Serve with basmati rice.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian Inspired
More easy dinner recipes
If you’re in the market for more easy weeknight dinners, here are a few more resources we’ve put together:
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I made the farro with Mushrooms today . Delicious !