36 of Our Best Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Monday through Friday, no matter how busy you are, dinner needs to get on the table. Whether it’s just for you or for your entire family, we know how important quick, easy, and flavorful weeknight dinners are.

All of our weeknight dinners take 30 minutes or less, are simple to throw together, and will make you so happy you didn’t resort to the drive-thru or takeout again.

If you’re in the mood for a simple comfort meal, we’ve got you covered. Want an easy-to-throw-together salad that’s hearty enough for dinner? We’ve got that too. Check out our favorite dinner recipes for dinners any night of the week, and choose from our list of weeknight dinner recipes below when you need something quick, simple, and satisfying.

Easy Weeknight Salad Recipes

Some of our favorite salad recipes take a bit of time and effort, or are maybe better suited for a side instead of the main course. All of our weeknight salad recipes are hearty enough to stand in as your main meal, and come together with little time and effort.

• Our Greek Salad takes just a little forethought but is so easy to throw together in the evening. Marinate your chicken in the morning, and by the time you get home, you can have dinner on the table in 10 to 20 minutes. If you prep the toppings ahead of time, dinner will be that much easier, too!
• Even without prepping anything ahead of time, our Taco Salad takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. The best part, though? You can get your romaine, toppings, dressing, and even the beef prepared the day before, so it’s ready to assemble and enjoy as soon as you walk through the door.

• Maybe not a traditional salad, but our Grinder Pasta Salad fits the bill as a hearty, delicious, and quick (pasta) salad to enjoy for dinner. Instead of eating a grinder sandwich, everything is combined with pasta for a filling and satisfying meal.
• Perfect for meal prepping for yourself or serving the whole family at dinner, our BBQ Chicken Salad is hearty and simple, and the texture combo of saucy chicken, crispy bacon, crunchy jicama, and cabbage is seriously craveable.

• Chickpeas, salami, and cubed provolone cheese make our Italian Chopped Salad a filling and satisfying end to the day. While it’s good any night of the week, it takes just 15 minutes to make, which earns it a spot as one of our favorite weeknight dinner recipes.
• Using the broiler to quickly cook the corn and salmon saves a ton of time when making our Loaded Summer Salmon Salad. While it uses fresh summer produce like sweet corn, peaches, and green onions, we promise this salad is just as satisfying any time of year.

Quick and Easy Weeknight Comfort Food

During the chilly months, a warm, comforting dinner at home is just what you need, even when you’re short on time. These simple dinners are perfect for satisfying your comfort food cravings in record time.

• A 30-minute comfort dinner, our Air Fryer Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce uses the convenient of the air fryer to make perfectly tender and juicy pork chops in just 10 minutes. The creamy mustard sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, making dinner even easier. Serve with a simple side salad for a complete meal.
• Our Shrimp Okonomiyaki includes protein and vegetables, all baked into a savory Japanese pancake. You can swap the shrimp for another protein and make this up to 3 days ahead of time for a completely customizable, indulgent dinner.

• We love one-pan meals, especially ones that are indulgent and delicious. Our Creamy Tuscan Chicken hits all the marks and takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. Serve with steamed rice, noodles, or over a baked potato for an easy, decadent weeknight meal.
• While we’ve enjoyed these Panko Crusted Lamb Chops as a party appetizer, they also make the best quick and easy main course! Coated in our seasoned breading, pan-fried, and served alongside roasted cauliflower, these Lamb chops are perfect for when you need a quick but comforting weeknight dinner.

• You need to keep our Air Fryer Chicken Breast and Air Fryer Salmon recipes on hand when you’re not quite sure what to serve, but know it needs to be good. Add either protein to any salad or side to quickly create a filling and satisfying dinner everyone will enjoy.

• For the kiddos in your life (and kids at heart), our Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are the perfect homemade alternative to their frozen favorites. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and ready in less than 30 minutes. Serve with their favorite dipping sauce, between a bun as a chicken sandwich, or over your favorite salad.
• To make an assortment of weeknight dinners, you need our Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs. They’re ready in less than 30 minutes and are perfect for serving as meatball subs with buns, marina, and provolone cheese, over spaghetti noodles, or dipped in BBQ.

Weeknight Pasta

Every day is a good day for pasta, in our opinion, especially after a long day. Whether you’re looking for a one-pot meal, a hearty, savory pasta, or something a little lighter, all of our weeknight pasta recipes are quick to throw together any night of the week.

• Sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cream, and pasta marry in our Tuscan Chicken Pasta. If that wasn’t enough, the whole dish is ready in just 30 minutes making it an ideal weeknight pasta dinner to keep in your rotation.
• Using pre-cooked smoked salmon makes our Smoked Salmon Pasta quick and easy to prepare without sacrificing flavor. Just boil the pasta and quickly make the salmon cream sauce to pour overtop for a satisfying dinner in just 25 minutes.

• Singapore Noodles with Shrimp combines rice vermicelli with shrimp and vegetables for an all-in-one dinner. While it takes less than 30 minutes to make, you can make your night easier by prepping the veggies and shrimp the day before so everything is ready to go when you get home.
• We make our Gochujang Noodles with bucatini pasta and a simple, creamy, spicy sauce. You can easily bulk it up for dinner by adding shrimp or shredded chicken and some sauteed veggies like mushrooms, spinach, and peppers.

• Our Chow Mein is loaded with veggies and a savory sauce that’s perfect on its own or with diced chicken breast, shrimp, or salmon.
• Just as important as a quick and easy meal on a weeknight is a quick and easy clean up. Our One Pot Pasta with Zucchini and Sausage fits the bill. You get protein, vegetables, and pasta all in one dish, coated in a light and cheesy sauce.
• One Pot Fettucini Alfredo is a comfort food, one-pot meal, and weeknight pasta dish all in one. If you usually resort to store-bought alfredo sauce to save time on weeknights, you need to give this one a try. In just 30 minutes, you’ll have a rich, velvety smooth homemade alfredo pasta. Add diced chicken, shrimp, or even steak for a higher-protein meal.

Take-out Inspired Weeknight Dinners

After a long commute or running the kids around to practice, you might be tempted to hit up the drive-thru or order delivery instead of cooking dinner at home. With these easy weeknight take-out recipes, you can enjoy your favorite restaurant orders at home in record time.

• A little sweet, a little salty, a hint of spice, and a whole lot of flavor, our Szechuan Beef takes just 30 minutes to make. With onions and peppers cooked into the sauce, it’s perfect served over a bed of steamed rice.
• Our stir-fried Mongolian Beef is inspired by P.F. Changs Mongolian beef recipe, but dare we say even better. The tender, saucy beef takes just 15 minutes to make, and with some stir-fried or steamed veggies and rice, you have yourself a quick and easy restaurant-quality meal at home.

• We love Sushi nights out, but it’s hard to get away on busy weeknights. This is where our Sushi Bake comes in. Rice, salmon, spicy mayo, furikake, nori, cucumber, and carrots in an easy-to-assemble casserole, no rolling required.
• Orange Chicken is one of the most popular Chinese take-out orders in the U.S., but we’d argue it’s even better when made at home. It takes less than 30 minutes to bread and fry diced chicken thighs and coat each piece in our sweet homemade orange sauce. Just be ready to make this recipe again and again.

• While steamed rice goes with most Asian-inspired proteins, Fried Rice takes things up a notch. Pre-cook your rice the day before and whip together this savory fried rice recipe the night of in less than 20 minutes. While it is the perfect addition to orange chicken, Mongolian beef, or cashew chicken, the egg, bacon, and veggies make it a dish all its own.
• To switch things up from chicken and beef, make this Bang Bang Shrimp and serve it over rice and vegetables for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Breaded and fried shrimp is coated in our creamy, sweet, and spicy bang bang sauce.
• Our Shrimp Scampi takes just 15 minutes to make. Serve the plump and tender shrimp with a salad and crusty bread to sop up any garlic butter sauce that’s left on the plate!

• Our Cashew Chicken is better than any take-out we’ve tried, and it takes just 30 minutes to make at home. Tender bites of chicken thighs are coated in a thick and savory hoisin-based sauce. You’ll want to serve it with rice and vegetables to soak up all the sauce and savor every last bite!
• If you prefer some extra spice with your dinner, our Kung Pao Beef will not disappoint. Tender sliced flank steak, and peppers are coated in a spicy sauce with the perfect touch of umami. Sprinkle peanuts and green onions on top, and this dish looks as good as it tastes.

•  Jajangmyeon is a Korean-Chinese noodle with a creamy black bean sauce. Diced pork, zucchini, and onion are added to make it a meal in one. Fresh udon or jajangmyeon noodles take just 5 or 6 minutes to make, helping this dish come together quickly for a super satisfying weeknight meal.
• You can’t go wrong with Beef and Broccoli. Tender cuts of flank steak and stir-fried broccoli are coated in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce. While the entire recipe takes just 30 minutes to make, you can prepare the sauce the day before, saving time and energy for an easy weeknight meal. Serve with steamed rice or garlic noodles for a full meal.

Handheld Weeknight Dinners

Sandwiches, tacos, and pizza are family favorites, especially when you need something quick to make and quick to eat.

• Our Baja Fish Tacos are battered and fried for a crispy coating that really sticks to the fish– no soggy fried fish here! Served in tortillas with pico, Baja sauce, and shredded cabbage, these fish tacos are perfect for a weeknight dinner at home with the family.
• Roasted corn and zucchini piled into a toasted corn tortilla and piled high with tomatillo salsa, queso fresco, and cilantro; with these Vegetarian Tacos with Zucchini and Corn, we promise you won’t even miss the meat! Even with all the fresh ingredients, they take just 30 minutes to put together, and you can enjoy a spicy michelada to unwind after a long day while you make and eat them!

• What’s better than a pork chop? A pork chop topped with caramelized onions and served in a toasted potato bun. Pan-frying helps load on the flavor and cut down the time to make our favorite Pork Chop Sandwich. Serve with potato chips or air fryer French fries.
• Instead of hitting the drive-thru, take 15 minutes to make our Roast Beef Sandwich, cheddar cheese sauce and all!
• For a light dinner at home, make a couple of our Grilled BLTA Flatbreads! Instead of a traditional BLT sandwich, we add all the toppings to a grilled flatbread for a flavorful, unique dinner where everyone can grab a slice. Make it a full meal with a simple Caesar salad on the side.

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