Simple Cooking Ideas For Dinner – Looking to change up your weekly meals with some new recipes? Check out these delicious dinner ideas that are so easy to make for the family.
My family can get crazy sometimes when all my kids have different schedules and I don’t always have easy dinner ideas. It’s rare that you have time to make gourmet dinner recipes for the family, and I usually have to throw something in at the last minute. I learned that dining on deck is always a good idea and a must. My blog is full of dinner recipes, but not all of them are meant to be quick and easy. Follow along and try these easy dinner ideas the next time you’re in a rush or limited on supplies.
Simple Cooking Ideas For Dinner
Have you checked out my recommended pantry staples? Most of these items are included in these easy dinner ideas.
Dinner Party Menu Ideas
All of these dinner ideas are great options if you want to make something quick and easy. These meals are all kid-friendly and great for family dinners. Try them all and let me know what you think!
Did you know I have a monthly food subscription you can join? Every month I create a new grocery list filled with tons of delicious recipes you can make with the family. If you’re the type of family that cooks the same meals all the time, this is definitely something you should check out. I will help you and change your normal routine. Join here today and I promise you will love it!
Want a new twist on waffle mix waffles with egg, sausage, bacon and cheese? Try this loaded dosa mix packed with all your favorite breakfast staples. Looking for more breakfast recipes? Check out: Top 8 Easy Breakfast Ideas Healthy Breakfast Ideas Loaded Breakfast Potato Casserole Breakfast Hash Avocado Toast Recipe…
Best Homemade Dosa with Buttermilk Syrup This light and fluffy homemade dosa recipe is amazing. And let’s be honest, there’s nothing better than a plate full of homemade dosas. Looking for a great recipe to make homemade dosa for a crowd? This recipe is perfect for the holidays or family gatherings when you need…
Easy High Protein Recipes
Jacob’s Pickles Buttermilk Biscuits – Copycat Recipe! Looking for the perfect homemade square cookie recipe? Like the ones served at Jacob’s Pickles in New York. Jacob’s Pickles Honey Drizzled Homemade Flaky Cookies are the best. I’ve tried a few different cookie recipes and mine from Jacob’s Pickles…
How to Grill Salmon Learn how to grill salmon the right way. This is an easy way to make salmon delicious for everyone to enjoy. Check out these tips for grilling salmon. Try some of these other fish recipes. Southern Fried Fish Recipe…
Hot and Spicy Jalapeno Spinach Dip Spinach dip is always a crowd favorite. But sometimes you have to step it up and take it to the next level, say a grown-up party. This spinach is just that. It has spinach and jalapeños, half and half, cream cheese, tomato, cream cheese and more. whatever you…
How to Make Grilled Grilled Chicken Looking for the perfect recipe for grilling grilled chicken to perfection? This simple recipe is one of the staples in my house because everyone loves it. With summer quickly approaching, I know we’ll be outside swimming, grilling, and spending time with our families. It’s … satisfying (after all, we have to look forward to them all day). These recipes easily hit all three criteria. You don’t have to make something delicious to throw on your table in one or less time; save money by choosing inexpensive proteins (be it chicken, ground proteins, or vegetarian options) and time by preparing them. Cook dishes in one pan, in your favorite dishes, or with our best cooking shortcuts. Whatever your style, these cheap and easy dishes will please your whole family without breaking the bank.
Easy 20 Minute Chicken Dinners
An easy way to reduce meal costs is to go for cheaper cuts of meat or use more expensive items in creative ways. Try adding ground beef, turkey or chicken to spice up the old standby. Try grilling a whole chicken (or buy a chicken and then use it throughout the week for everything from pizza to tacos. Try adding more expensive seafood or steak to pasta or rice to help make smaller, more affordable portions, like our Creole Jambalaya, our Smoked Salmon Pasta or our Creamy Steak Fettuccine It’s all about how you use protein, not avoiding it entirely.
If you’ve been on the fence about certain kitchen gadgets like slow cookers, fanciers, and Instant Pots, this is your cue to take the plunge and get one. They help dinners come together so quickly. We have tons of creative recipes like our Crockpot White Chicken Chili, our Air Fryer Chimichangas, or our Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, but check out our more in-depth listings for Air Fryer (over 100 recipes), Instant Pot. , and even the Crockpot.
Even if you’re not ready for another piece of equipment, we bet you already have a few items in your kitchen that help get dishes on the table faster, like pans, dutch ovens, and pots. We’ve included some of our favorite recipes here, like our Chicken Pot Pie, our One-Pot Veggie Chili Mac, or our Pan Chicken Fajitas, but once you know the basics, feel free to get creative.
A great way to save some money is to go meatless (and not just on Mondays). And we don’t mean replacing protein with all the expensive meat substitutes (we all do that sometimes), instead we’re talking about making plant-based meals out of inexpensive beans, tofu, and plants. Try our vegetarian lasagna, our creamy mushroom pasta, our tofu katsu curry or our veggie crisps to see how versatile and filling these dishes can be.
Minute Easy & Delicious Meals
Do you have cheaper and easier meals? Check out our favorite 5-Ingredient Meals, our 30-Minute Basic Meals, and the entire series of Food Editor June’s Budget Eats. You won’t believe it comes in under $25.
Is there anything better than a one pan meal? Spicy ground beef, flavorful rice, plenty of beans, and lots of cheese, we wouldn’t mind if it was family-friendly and quick. It comes together in just 40 minutes with minimal prep and is perfect for when you want to spice things up.
Bell peppers are a great container for stuffing meat, rice, and cheese. It’s strong enough to hold its shape in the oven and the flavor is subtle enough to go well with anything. This is our favorite recipe, but with options for customization
With only 5 ingredients, these black bean tostadas are an easy and quick meal to throw together. You can always add extras like corn salsa, avocado ranch, or endless crunchy veggies like radishes or pickled red onions, but they’re also delicious if you keep them simple like we did here.
Best Weeknight Pasta Recipes
Fried cutlets are one of life’s greatest pleasures, and these kale schnitzels are no exception. Coated in crunchy golden brown breadcrumbs and drizzled with a mushroom-flavored gravy, this vegetarian spin on a meaty classic will delight meat lovers and vegetarians alike.
Use your favorite canned or homemade salsa verde to make this super easy and delicious dish. Everything cooks in one pot for no mess and, most importantly, a quick dinner. This will become one of your new favorites.
Cooking the pasta directly in the goulash means the pasta absorbs all the flavor of the beef and tomatoes while releasing some of its starches into the pan, thickening the goulash to create a rich, comforting stew. Once you’ve cooked your pasta this way, you’ll never go back to boiling water.
When we want steak, this dish is always what we want to make. It comes together quickly and is full of flavor. It makes us forget that chicken fettuccine alfredo doesn’t exist. If you want a steak without the pasta, may we recommend the Cajun Butter Steak?
Best Greek Recipes
If you’ve never made risotto, if you don’t want to stand there stirring forever, then this recipe is for you. It packs all the satisfying flavor of the slow-mix version into a fraction of the hands-on time.
We’ve paired quick-cooking chicken cutlets with a spicy-sweet coconut milk sauce that tastes out of this world. Tomatoes (and tomato paste) bring it back down to earth, so you can make it again and again (and again).
We love a classic lasagna, but this can work a lot. This easy stir-fry version has everything we love about the original, including long noodles with fried edges, but without the messy layering steps. Instead, you fill with cooked noodles
