50 Easy Weeknight Dinners to get you through a school week! All of these dinners are make ahead or can be made in roughly 30 to 40 minutes or less!
I can’t believe it but we go back to school in about a week and a half! We’re happy but going to take full advantage of what we have left. I’m a little worried about the morning routine, my kids like to sleep in . . so I know we have a rough few weeks ahead of us.
One thing I am not going to stress about are weeknight dinners! Here are 50+ (I threw in a few bonus recipes) Easy Weeknight Dinners to help you get through the week! Take a look, plan a weekly menu, write your grocery list and you’re set! I’ve categorized them to make it easier! With the exception of THREE recipes, all of these are from ME! Enjoy!
50 Easy Weeknight Dinners
PASTA & PIZZA
- Whole Grain Pasta with White Beans and Tomatoes
- Orzo with Tuna
- Veggie Macaroni and Cheese
- Linguine with Mushrooms and Clam Sauce
- Easy Weeknight Pasta or Whole Grain One Pot Pasta
- Beef Stroganoff
- Orecchiette Pasta with Cremini Mushrooms and Kale
- Prosciutto Arugula Flatbread Pizza
COMFORT FOOD
Some of these recipes take longer than 40 minutes. Here’s a tip! Prep the veggies the night before. Chop everything and store in the refrigerator. Then, when you’re ready to cook dinner, you already have most of the prep done and you’re ready to go!
10. Turkey Chili or Butternut Squash Turkey Chili
BONUS: White Bean Chicken Chili Soup! This is a fan favorite! (featured above)
(This is my lazy mom’s chicken noodle soup. Oh so good!)
ASIAN FOOD
Probably my favorite category. . Asian food! This is just a fraction of the Asian food recipes I have on my site. Click here to see everything.
15. Egg Drop Soup
16. Vegetarian Lo Mein – you can easily add chicken or beef if you’d like
17. Soba Noodles with Extra Crispy Tofu
18. Japchae (Korean Stir Fried Noodles)
19. Beef Ginger Fried Rice or Kimchi Fried Rice
BONUS: Asian Soba Noodle Broth Bowls!
BEEF & CHICKEN
Ah yes, the protein!! We all need it! I have a quick sampling of some of my favorite, quick beef and chicken dishes. You can also make one of these with a roasted or steamed vegetable, side salad, or any the salads below and you’ve got a great meal!
I also have more beef and chicken recipes categorized under Asian, Slow Cooker and Instant Pot within this blog post.
Also, if you want MORE CHICKEN, click here for 25 Delicious Chicken Dinners! Chicken breast, thigh meat and rotisserie, it’s all there!
25. Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowl
26. Grilled Monterey Chicken from Kevin is Cooking
27. One Pan Roasted Chicken! (this is make ahead)
28. Steak in the oven! Make this with roasted or steamed vegetables, a side salad, or any the salads below and you’ve got a great meal!
SALADS
Yes, salad is a category! Some of these can be made in advance and eaten the next day, or prep and shred your chicken ahead of time and chop and prep your greens and you are good to go!
30. Mediterranean Freekeh Salad. You can easily use quinoa or brown rice here too.
31. Cobb Salad! Eat this as lettuce wraps or a salad!
32. Moroccan Chickpea and Carrot Salad. Feel free to pick up a rotisserie chicken to eat with this!
EGGS
This may seem like a strange category to add (breakfast for dinner!!) but my kids love eggs and they are a great source of protein and they’re fast! Weeknight dinner? YES!
33. Frittata! Use whatever veggies you have at home! Spinach and mushrooms work great!
34. Korean Steamed Eggs (my kids love this!)
35. Fried Eggs with Kale and Mushrooms
36. Green Shakshuka
SEAFOOD
A little more pricey than beef, chicken or pork, but you can’t beat the great health benefits of eating seafood: low in fat, great source of protein and those Omega 3 Fatty Acids!
39. Fish Tostadas
BONUS: Pick up those battered fish sticks from Trader Joe’s (or anywhere), bake them and make fish tacos! Easy and quick!
SANDWICHES, BOWLS & A BURGER!
I just put all of my quick favorites under this miscellaneous category. . because, who doesn’t love a good sandwich or burger?! The burger takes some time but can be made and prepped in advance!
40. Grilled Cheese! Don’t think this can be considered dinner? I add mushrooms and swiss chard here too!
41. Mexican Cauliflower Rice Bowl or Mexican Beans and Rice
42. Bibim Grain Bowls– Not for everyone and this one takes time but this is one of my absolute favorite things to eat!
43. Black Bean Burger. Again, this one takes some time but these burgers are amazing! I hope you give this recipe a try! Prep and make the patties in advance! You can freeze them too!
SLOW COOKER RECIPES
This category speaks for itself! Sometimes you just need to pull out your crockpot! These recipes take longer, obviously, but you can (for the most part) dump and go!
44. Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs
45. Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
46. Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Chili
47. Spicy Asian Beef Short Ribs
Click HERE for more slow cooker recipes.
INSTANT POT RECIPES
Here are a few of my favorites! I will be working on MORE instant pot recipes this fall, so please stay tuned!
49. Asian Beef Short Ribs from I Wash You Dry
50. Instant Pot Orange Chicken from Sweet and Savory Meals
BONUS: Instant Pot Butter Chicken! This recipe is incredible! I hope you try it!
That’s it! You made it to the end! I hope this round-up provides some GREAT dinner inspiration for you! Enjoy and happy cooking!
What a fantastic round up of recipes Alice! They all look amazing, as usual! I’ll need to cook my way through the entire list!
Thank you so much for all of these. I’m always looking for weeknight dinner ideas!
What an awesome roundup!! I love your recipes.
This is an epic round up! Love these ideas!
I always look forward to weeknight dinners ideas and these are fun-tastic! Now I need to figure out which one to start first…
So many delicious looking recipes! can’t wait to try some!
That Moroccan chickpea salad! And the Pho! Ooh, yum. Thanks for the list, as I am making my menu for the week!
Wonderful idea & delicious recipes. This idea is going to make my weekend night so special I can say surely. Your all recipes are looking so yummy. Just love it.