This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas are perfect for a busy family. All of the recipes take only a few ingredients, need minimal prep, and cook fast!
Making delicious and easy dinners doesn’t have to take a lot of time or ingredients. Whenever I can have a homemade meal prepared in just minutes, I’m 100% down to make that happen.
I’ve brought together my favorite easy dinner ideas to help you with your own dinner prep. Each recipe requires minimal work, and many of them cook quickly or require entirely hands-off cooking time. And the best part? You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry!
No matter if you’re looking for a vegetarian meal, a beef recipe, or a simple chicken dish, this list of fast and easy dinners has you covered.
You’ll love them so much, you just might be able to make your menu for the week and meal plan easily!
When you know you have a busy night coming up, make certain to plan out dinner beforehand with these quick recipes. Don’t forget to check out ourย 35+ Easy Cake Mix Recipes because these are a great way to have a dessert fast, too!
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making these recipes!
Taco Soup Recipe! This quick and easy Taco Soup Recipe can be made in the slow cooker or right on the stovetop. Ready in no time, this taco soup is filled with ground beef, beans, corn and taco seasoning. Itโs a quick dinner that everyone loves!
This Beef Meximelt Recipe (inspired by Taco Bell) is super easy, unbelievably delicious and so much better than the drive-thru. Make a copycat version of your fast food favorite at home for an awesome lunch or dinner.
Slow Cooker Mississippi roast is the perfect Crockpot recipe for a special family meal or quick weeknight dinner. Add your favorite toasted bread to turn this classic comfort food into your new favorite sandwich recipe.
Tender, juicy, and perfectly crispy on the outside, these baked breaded pork chops will be the best youโve ever tasted! Theyโre an easy weeknight dinner youโll make again and again.
This easy, creamy Turkey Tetrazzini recipe is a delicious pasta casserole dish that is perfect for using up leftover holiday turkey! Cookedย turkey is combined with cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, green peppers, and milk and topped with sharp cheddar cheese for an easy dinner recipe your entire family will love!
Chicken and Dumpling Casserole is comfort food at its best! A creamy chicken-and-veggie base is topped with dollops of biscuit dough for an easy dinner youโll make again and again.
This million dollar chicken casserole is supremely creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-easy! Juicy chicken is baked with an irresistible cream sauce, then finished with buttery Ritz crackers for a crispy topping.
If your family is like my family, you’re always on the go! These easy dinner recipes prove that you can feed everyone and still make it where you need to be.
1. Sheet Pan Nachos
Sheet Pan Nachos
Sheet pan nachos are going to be your new favorite dinner! No one can resist loaded nachos piled high with seasoned ground beef, cheese, sour cream, and toppings.
Making restaurant-style beef enchiladas at home is easier than you think! Tortillas are filled with hearty seasoned ground beef, then smothered in zesty enchilada sauce and melty cheese.
3. Crusted Chicken Cobb Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing
Crusted Chicken Cobb Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing
This Crusted Chicken Cobb Salad is absolutely packed with flavor! Itโs a satisfying dinner with a variety of colors and textures, and the homemade honey mustard dressing is irresistible!
Chicken and waffles might not sound like the most natural pairing, but once you try it, youโll be a believer! Crunchy fried chicken with fluffy soft waffles! Hereโs how to make it at home.
Pizza sliders are the ultimate appetizer for pizza lovers! Easy, cheesy, and made with sweet Hawaiian rolls, youโll make this recipe again and again!
This Instant Pot Penne Alfredo is creamy, rich, and a family-friendly dinner you can get on the table in a matter of minutes! It doesnโt get much easier (or more delicious!) than this!
This easy 4-Ingredient Crock Pot Ravioli Lasagna recipe comes together in 10 minutes and only takes 3 hours in the slow cooker. Made with frozen ravioli, jarred pasta sauce, ground hamburger, and mozzarella cheese – this is truly a lazy day lasagna!
This easy cheeseburger tater tot casserole is an entire meal in one pan! Itโs made with savory ground beef, lots of cheese, and golden brown tater tots, so itโs sure to be a hit with the whole family.ย
Frito Pie is a classic dish made with ground beef, taco or chili seasonings, cheese, and Fritos thatโs perfect for a weeknight dinner everyone will love.
Yes, this is the ultimate chicken casserole! With shredded chicken, egg noodles, corn, bacon, and a creamy, cheesy sauce, this is a casserole made for big appetites!
Just a few ingredients turn ordinary loaves of French bread into this wonderful lasagna/pizza bread hybrid. Lots of sauce, lots of cheese and so toasty on top.
This Beef Vegetable Soup recipe is the ultimate comfort food recipe and for good reason! Itโs quick, easy and full of flavor! The recipe was passed down from my grandmother and is a family favorite!
Crock Pot Pulled Pork! A delicious pork loin is slow roasted in the crockpot and topped with a delicious homemade barbecue sauce for an easy meal idea!
Easy ground beef stroganoff made from scratch. Only a few inexpensive ingredients like ground beef, mushrooms and noodles and you will have a perfect family dinner ready.
Thisย Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs and Potatoes Recipe is easy to prepare and comes together quickly. Simply add the chicken thighs, potatoes, lemon, and garlic into the skillet and bake!
A deliciously fun twist on two dinnertime favorites, these Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes are on the table in about 15 minutes! You can even make them entirely ahead for quick dinners and meal prep throughout the week.
This One-Skillet Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Pasta uses just a few ingredients that I bet you have in your pantry already.ย You won't have to pick up much at the store and I'm betting will cost you under $10 to make this dish – it was for me!
Instant Pot Lasagna Soup is the ultimate comfort food. Made with ground beef or turkey and three different types of cheese, this mouthwatering soup is a crowd pleaser!
These ham and cheese sliders are the perfect summertime party recipe! Made with sweet Hawaiian bread, thinly sliced ham, and baby Swiss cheese, this 25-minute baked ham and Swiss cheese sliders recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
This chicken alfredo recipe is a restaurant-style dinner you can make at home! Itโs indulgent and rich, with a cheesy, creamy, garlicky sauce, along with fettuccine noodles and tender pan-fried chicken breasts.
Here are even more easy – and cheap! – dinner ideas that are sure to please. You can file these recipes away and return to them throughout the year so you always have a list of recipes you can turn to when you’re short on time (and ingredients).
1. 15-Minute Sesame Noodles
15-MINUTE SESAME NOODLES
These sesame noodles can be ready to serve in 15 minutes, yes thatโs not a typo! Quick as ever, versatile and flavorful, this quick noodle dish is a huge hit even with kids!
These One-Pan Smoked Sausage and Pepper Hoagies are such a quick and easy meal idea; they’ll quickly become a family favorite for game day or any other day of the week!
This Easy White Chicken Chili is the perfect slow cooker weeknight meal! Creamy with plenty of toppings, this soup recipe is the perfect way to end the day!
This Stovetop Chicken and Noodles recipe is comfort food at its best! Creamy, hearty, and oh-so-easy, this is a dinner youโll find yourself making again and again.
Bisquick Cheeseburger Pie is always a winning dinner! Also known as Impossible Cheeseburger Pie, itโs everything you love in a burger baked into a pie dish!
Some of my favorite recipes are listed below, including lots of veggie options as well as hearty meat dishes. Many of these are family favorites! I hope you and your family enjoy these too.
1. Zucchini Boats
Zucchini Boats
This recipe for zucchini boards proves that eating low carb can be delicious! Simple ingredients loaded with flavor!
Thisย Zucchini Casseroleย is an easy, side dish that goes with any meal. Zucchini and tomatoes topped with cheese and a crunchy panko/parmesan breadcrumb topping makes for the perfect accompaniment to any meal!
This classic comfort recipe comes from my grandmother and includes chopped chicken, celery, boiled eggs, and pickle relish mixed in a mayonnaise/miracle whip "dressing" – Old Fashioned Chicken Salad!
Slow Cooker Mississippi roast is the perfect Crockpot recipe for a special family meal or quick weeknight dinner. Add your favorite toasted bread to turn this classic comfort food into your new favorite sandwich recipe.
This easy grilled BBQ chicken recipe is an easy way to grill chicken. This barbecue chicken recipe results in tasty and juicy chicken every time! Use your favorite bbq sauce and let that the flavor of the grill come through!
Easy Crock Pot BBQ Chicken needs just four ingredients and is super easy! Let the slow cooker do all the work to turn ordinary chicken into flavorful, tender meat that can be used in so many dishes.
Forget frozen pizza rolls! Theseย Homemade Pepperoni Rollsย are made with refrigerated pizza dough, mozzarella cheese sticks and pepperoni for an easy dinner or snack!
Walking Tacos are an easy dinner recipe that takes minimal effort for a fun on-the-go meal, camping food, or taco bar party. Pile small chip bags high with all of your favorite taco toppings – meat, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and salsa!
The Best Baked Chicken Parmesan has aย crispy coating made with Italian breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese, smothered in a store-bought marinara sauce and sliced mozzarella cheese for an easy dinner any night of the week!
Why spend all day in the kitchen when you can whip up these easy main dishes or side dish options in minutes? These easy dinner recipes prove that simplicity can be absolutely delicious!
1. Egg Salad Recipe
Egg Salad Recipe
This easy egg salad recipe is the perfect way to use up hard-boiled eggs!
These ham and cheese sliders are the perfect summertime party recipe! Made with sweet Hawaiian bread, thinly sliced ham, and baby Swiss cheese, this 25-minute baked ham and Swiss cheese sliders recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Baked Ham with Maple Dijon Glaze is an easy spiral baked ham recipe glazed with brown sugar, maple syrup, and honey for a delicious dish any time of year!
Crock Pot Chicken and Noodles is the perfect winter slow cooker comfort food. Filled with tender shredded chicken and creamy noodles, this easy recipe will be a new regular on your weekly dinner rotation.
Instant Pot Spaghetti is an easy and delicious weeknight meal the whole family will love! Just as good as the classic recipe, this spaghetti cooks in under 20 minutes and makes great leftovers.
In just 4 steps and as little as 4-6 hours, you'll have a Crock Pot Chili the whole family can't help but gather around. Ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and the best chili seasoning – Comfort food at its best!
Old Fashioned Goulash is the perfect weeknight dinner. Itโs easy to make, hearty, and full of comfort food goodness. With ground beef, elbow macaroni, cheese, and a tomato-y sauce, goulash is one of those rare recipes that everyone in the family will love!
Dorito Casserole features layers of crushed Doritos chips, ground beef, and topped with plenty of cheese. Serve this taco casserole any day of the week.
Philly Cheesesteak Sliders are filled with ground beef, gooey cheese, peppers, and onion. Easy Philly Cheesesteak sliders are perfect for a game day snack.
This cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe has it all! Tender rotisserie chicken, rice, and broccoli are combined with a creamy, cheesy sauce and finished with a buttery cracker topping. It's family-friendly for a weeknight dinner, but perfect for a potluck, too.
These Caramel Apple Nachos Are A Quick & Easy Treat For Any Time! Slice Green Apples, Drizzle In Caramel And Top With Chocolate Chips And Toffee Bits โ It Tastes Just Like A Caramel Apple, But Much Easier to Make In NO Time!
For a fun Shark Week kids drink idea, try this Shark Bait Ice Cream Float made with vanilla ice cream, blue kool-aid, and gummy sharks and life preservers
Preparing dinner can sometimes be a challenging task, especially after a long day at work. That’s when easy dinner recipes come in handy.
With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, you can prepare tasty and healthy meals for yourself and your family. For instance, you can cook dinner in an Instant Pot and have a meal ready in minutes, or make a dump-and-go slow cooker recipe that requires a short amount of prep in the morning before you head out the door. You can also opt for sheet pan meals, where you combine different vegetables and protein in one pan and roast them together. These easy dinners not only save time, but they’re delicious too!
Have a recipe to share? Leave it in the comments below and I’ll add it to this growing list of easy dinner ideas!
For over 15 years, Kasey Schwartz, the mastermind behind All Things Mamma, has been the ultimate go-to for mouthwatering family recipes. Her work has been featured on Today.com, Buzz Feed, Better Homes and Gardens, and more, making her your go-to mom next door for all things delicious and family-friendly.
Great recipes