Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
updated Aug 7, 2023
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It doesn’t matter whether you meal prep or not: The question of what to cook for dinner persists night after night, and week after week. Sometimes the answer is easy and obvious, while other nights, despite a full fridge and pantry, you are completely and utterly stumped on what to make.
To offer some fresh inspiration, we rounded up more than 90 tried-and-true weeknight dinner ideas we find ourselves coming back to again and again. Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight meals, a kid-approved meal everyone will enjoy, something that feels healthy, a recipe to put that pack of chicken to work, or a meat-free main, there’s a recipe for every dinnertime situation. Here are more than 90 dinner ideas that offer something for everyone.
Quick Dinner Ideas for Two
Since most recipes are written to serve at least four people, it can feel tricky when you’re cooking for two — especially if you’re not into leftovers. Each of these dinners makes just enough for two people or uses a technique that makes it easy to scale down the recipe.
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Michael Natkin's Spicy Stir-Fried Zucchini
Served over a bowl of rice or noodles, this saucy stir-fry makes a nice, light dinner for two. I like to bulk it up with some cubes of crispy tofu, browned ground meat, or shredded rotisserie chicken.
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Chicken Parm and Pasta Skillet
Store-bought conveniences are often the secret to success when cooking just for two. Here, frozen breaded chicken breast saves you the hassle of frying up cutlets to make a downsized version of comforting chicken Parm.
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Skillet Cod with Lemon and Capers
This simple skillet fish dinner is easy to halve to serve two. It’s one of those meals that feels fancy yet happens to be pretty much effortless.
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Creamy Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll-Ups
Take all the creamy, rich goodness of chicken Alfredo, roll it into lasagna noodles, and you have a dinner that will cure just about anything the day brought. It makes lasagna possible for two people without a giant baking dish’s worth of leftovers — and on a weeknight, at that.
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Easy Fig & Prosciutto Flatbreads
Fancy enough for dinner party appetizer but easy enough for a date-night in, these fig and prosciutto flatbreads are easy decadence.
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Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry (Gai Pad Khing)
When the temptation to order takeout strikes, reach for this recipe. It’s arguably faster and definitely rivals anything you could order in.
Healthy Dinner Ideas
No matter what healthy means to you, this lineup of feel-good dinners has a little something for everyone. And best of all, they’re easy enough to pull off on a weeknight.
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Sheet Pan Halloumi with Burst Tomatoes, Summer Squash, Preserved Lemon, and Mint
This colorful sheet pan dinner is packed with a wholesome mix of flavorful Mediterranean ingredients.
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Crispy Tofu Bowl with Caramelized Fall Veggies
In this hearty vegetarian grain bowl, crispy caramelized butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and protein-packed tofu are tossed in a savory-sweet glaze and piled onto warm brown rice.
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Crispy Skillet Salmon with Mustardy Cabbage
Crispy-skinned salmon fillets sit on top of a bed of savory sautéed cabbage in this easy skillet dinner.
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Herby Chicken Grain Bowl with Feta Dressing
Feta dressing upgrades this hearty and refreshing grain bowl.
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Easy Sheet Pan Chili Garlic Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli
This easy sheet pan supper is flavored with a combination of soy sauce and ginger and amped up with just one simple addition: chili garlic sauce.
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Herby French Lentil Salad with Carrots, Goat Cheese, and Pistachios
This satisfying lentil salad is the ultimate make-ahead option for lunch. Carrots and pistachios lend crunch and color, while crumbles of goat cheese provide creaminess with every bite.
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Quiche can absolutely be dinner and this easy recipe proves it.
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Parmesan Chicken and Kale Sauté
This one-skillet dinner feels both wholesome and special, and is quick and easy enough to pull off any night of the week.
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Easy 5-Ingredient Teriyaki Salmon
Five ingredients and about 15 minutes are all you need to pull off this wholesome meal.
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5-Ingredient Black Bean Veggie Burgers
These vegetarian black bean veggie burgers are made with pantry staples and are ready in 30 minutes.
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Cold Ramen with Quick-Pickled Mushrooms, Celery, and Ginger
Pickled vegetables and chewy ramen noodles combine for a mighty yet simple cold noodle salad.
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Orzo Skillet with Shrimp and Feta
Tomato-y orzo meets sweet shrimp, salty feta, and fresh mint in this Greek-inspired skillet dinner.
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Easy Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
From a cilantro-lime yogurt topping to smoky roasted veggies, this naturally gluten-free meal is a lighter take on hearty enchiladas.
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Easy Juicy Turkey-Veggie Meatloaf
This turkey meatloaf is packed with good-for-you veggies that ensure it doesn't cook up dry. Get ready for a crowd-pleaser the whole family will love.
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Easy Sheet Pan Greens and Beans
This family-friendly sheet pan is nothing short of a miracle meal.
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Broiled Salmon with Lemon, Herbs and Mustard
Topped with Dijon mustard and fresh herbs, all you need is 10 minutes to bring this salmon to the table.
Family Dinner Ideas
Not only are these weeknight favorites quick and easy to bring to the table, but also big and little eaters alike will gobble them up.
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Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Yogurt-Herb Dip
Breading the chicken in almond flour means these tenders are also gluten-free.
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Slow Cooker Veggie Burrito Bowls
Veggie burrito bowls are a one-stop shop, delivering the best part of a burrito — the filling! — with tender brown rice, smoky pinto beans, and fresh veggies, all topped with a dollop of citrusy sour cream.
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5-Ingredient Baked Potato Soup
Spoiler: No baked potatoes are required for this soup. Just one freezer shortcut will get you from done to devoured in less than 30 minutes!
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Sheet Pan Crispy Salmon and Potatoes
This sheet pan supper will show you just how quick and simple it can be to get a salmon dinner on the table any night of the week.
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5-Ingredient Enchilada Casserole
Easy weeknight enchiladas are within reach, thanks to a grocery store shortcut.
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This one-pot dinner feels a bit special for the adults, but it’s also satisfying for the kids.
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Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Veggies
This one-pan dinner of roasted gnocchi and vegetables doesn't even require you to boil the dumplings.
Dinner Ideas with Chicken
I know how it goes: You’ve got a pack of chicken breasts or thighs sitting in the fridge that need to be cooked tonight, and you’re totally stumped on what to make. These recipes are the inspiration you need to solve your dinner dilemma.
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Life-Changing Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
These chicken thighs are impossibly juicy thanks to a stovetop-to-oven cooking method and a garlic butter drizzle. Plus they boast the crispiest, crackliest skin. Bonus: you only need five ingredients to make them.
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Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken
This creamy Parmesan garlic mushroom chicken skillet is inspired by cream of mushroom soup, and comes together in 30 minutes.
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One-Pan Chicken and Rice with Olives and Lemon
This weeknight-friendly chicken and rice dish cooks all in one skillet, making cleanup a breeze. It's also extremely adaptable based on what's in your pantry.
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Slow Cooker Salsa Pulled Chicken
Our best recipe for shortcut salsa chicken in the slow cooker.
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Coconut Milk Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Learn how to cook a whole chicken in coconut milk with fresh basil and ginger for a luscious but easy dinner.
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Instant Pot Weeknight Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls
The key to perfecting these comforting bowls is layering the ingredients in your Instant Pot with the rice on top.
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Sheet Pan Honey-Dijon Chicken and Vegetables
When you smother chopped chicken breast, crispy potatoes, and tender broccoli in a sweet and tangy honey-mustard sauce, you know you’ve got something good on your hands.
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Feta-Brined Chicken Breast with Rosemary
Feta cheese does magical things to boneless chicken breast. It not only flavors the meat, but also gives it juiciness, so as it roasts in the oven it still remains full of flavor.
Dinner Ideas for Tonight
When the clock is ticking and I need to figure out what to cook for dinner in just a few hours, my strategy is sticking with one of the following: recipes with no more than a handful of ingredients, that call for basic pantry staples, that require a minimal amount of cookware, or that come together in 20 minutes or less. Each of these recipes checks at least one of those boxes.
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The Ultimate Trader Joe's Grilled Cheese
This over-the-top sandwich is made with three Trader Joe's ingredients: Focaccia with Tomato and Parmesan, Cheddar & Gruyère Mélange Cheese, and Zhoug Sauce.
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5-Ingredient Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Low-carb shrimp lettuce wraps are crisp, crunchy and need just 5 ingredients.
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5-Ingredient Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup
This hearty 5-ingredient soup is a fun way to turn that pack of chicken sausage lingering in the fridge into dinner. The recipe calls for lacinato kale, but any hearty green will do here.
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Avocado and Cucumber Arugula Salad
Feel free to turn this vibrant salad into a meal by topping it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
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3-Ingredient Baked Caesar Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are smothered in your favorite creamy Caesar dressing and baked until golden, then showered with snowy Parmesan before heading under the broiler to get nice and bubbly.
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One-Pot Spicy Sausage and Tomato Pasta
For such a short ingredient list, this 20-minute pasta dish is bursting with bold flavors, thanks to fire-roasted tomatoes and smoky andouille sausage.
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One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo
This is the kind of dinner you make when you get home late and are greeted by a nearly empty fridge. The result is a creamy, one-pot pantry dinner that's almost reminiscent of risotto yet is firmly its own.
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Broccolini, Chicken Sausage, and Orzo Skillet
Turn chicken sausage, quick-cooking orzo, and Broccolini into an easy one-skillet pasta dinner with this weeknight-friendly recipe.
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Green Goddess Skillet Chicken and Veggies
A bottle of herby green goddess dressing from Trader Joe's plays both the marinade and the sauce in this colorful chicken and radish skillet.
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Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
Whether it’s a dinner pasta, something saucy, tacos, a one-bowl meal, or sheet pan dinner you crave, we’ve got a veggie-packed, meat-free dinner idea for you.
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Roasted Mushroom and Poblano Tacos
This quick and easy recipe for vegetarian tacos is filled with roasted portobello mushrooms and poblano peppers and topped with creamy goat cheese.
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Kimchi Fried Rice with Extra Greens
Use whatever leafy greens you have handy for this flavorful fried rice.
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Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This vegan mac and "cheese" uses butternut squash as a substitute for cheese. Nutritional yeast also helps it feel more cheesy and it gets a spicy kick from chipotles in adobo.
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Slow Cooker Lentil and Mushroom Bolognese
In this "meaty" vegetarian alternative to classic bolognese, baby bella mushrooms and protein-packed green lentils stand in for ground beef.
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One-Pot Eggplant Caponata Pasta
All the tangy, sweet, and savory elements of the classic Sicilian eggplant dish of tomatoes, olives, capers, and more come together in this flavor-packed one-pot pasta.
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Sweet Potatoes with Chickpea Tomato Sauce
Here's one more reason to bake a couple sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week. Spoon spice-kissed saucy chickpeas over the top, and you've got a comforting, wholesome dinner that's ready in no time.
