80+ Best Easy Dinners

Here are our best easy dinner recipes from burgers to chicken to soups to salads! Whatever you’re craving you can guarantee it will tasty and easy!

Need a good dinner recipe that’s easy? What is the best meal to eat for dinner? What should I make for dinner when feeling lazy? Easy dinner recipes for beginners?

 

Trust me, I know what it’s like to feel like you’re in a rut at dinner time so I’ve combined all of our favorites dinner ideas and you’re sure to find one to help you decide what’s for dinner tonight! Whether it needs to be an easy weeknight dinner for family, healthy dinner recipes, simple dinner recipes, or a comfort food dinner recipe, I’ve got you covered!

Jump to:

• Our Popular Easy Dinner Recipes
• Oven-Baked Dinners
• Stove Top Dinners
• Easy Healthy Dinners
• Pasta Dinner Ideas
• Easy Weeknight Dinner for Family
• Easy Soup Dinner Ideas
• Lazy Dinner Ideas
• One-Pan, One-Dish Dinner Ideas
• Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
• Salad Recipes for Dinner
• Air Fryer Dinner Recipes
• Instant Pot Dinners
• Slow Cooker Dinners
• Easy Casserole Dinners
• Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
• Pork Dinner Recipes
• Chicken Dinner Recipes
• Seafood Dinner Ideas
• Venison Dinner Recipes
• Comments

Our Popular Easy Dinner Recipes

• Baked Pork Steaks – If you’re from the Midwest you may know exactly what pork steaks are but if not, they’re a steak cut from pork shoulder that you’ll never forget!
• Fried Shrimp Recipe – Better than frozen and easier than you may think, this fried shrimp is an easy seafood dinner idea at home!

Oven-Baked Dinners

• Brats in the Oven – (Or Baked Italian Sausages) Quite possibly one of the easiest dinners there is. Cook the bratwurst in a baking dish and serve on a bun! Kids and adults all over will be fans of topping their brats with their favorite toppings!
• Baked Drumsticks in the Oven – With a delicious crispy skin, only using butter, parmesan cheese, garlic and salt and pepper, it’s an easy family favorite!
• Roasted Pork Tenderloin – Pork tenderloin is such a delicious cut of meat and using a few, common ingredients, this recipe is a soon-to-be a new favorite!
• Baked Feta Pasta – Known for going viral on TikTok, this pasta dinner idea is easy and it creates in own sauce in one dish!
• Steak in the Oven – Cooking steak like you can get in a restaurant can seem difficult but after trying this easy recipe, you’ll soon prefer cooking your own steak at home!
• Baked Turkey Burgers – When it’s too cold out to grill, baking lean turkey burgers in the oven is the perfect alternative!
• Meatball Stuffed Peppers – Talk about EASY! Using frozen meatballs, simply stuff bell peppers with meatballs, rice and cheese to create a delicious twist on stuffed peppers.

Stove Top Dinners

When you need a quick weeknight meal, or in the middle of summer, sometimes it’s easier to quickly cook something on the stovetop (without using an oven) and be done! Here are our favorite, cheap and easy dinners cooked on the stove!

• Burgers Cooked on the Stove – Although we love baked burgers, sometimes cooking hamburgers on the stove is much nicer than heating up the kitchen with the oven! This is a quick and easy pan-fried burger with fun topping ideas!
• Chorizo Gravy (and Biscuits) – Who loves breakfast for dinner!? We do! Make this chorizo gravy and serve it up with frozen biscuits cooked in the air fryer to keep things super easy!
• Crispy Chicken Burgers (Zinger Burgers) – With that crispy breading on that juicy chicken breast, you’ll wonder why you ever ordered these as fast food!
• Beef Stroganoff Recipe – This creamy, old-fashioned comfort food dish only takes 30 minutes to make!

Easy Healthy Dinners

Looking to incorporate a few more healthy recipes in to your dinner routine? They’re not only healthy but absolutely delicious!

• Grilled Shrimp – Use this easy marinade recipe to grill shrimp for a healthy, easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love.
• Crispy Air Fryer Tofu – There’s a secret to making healthy crispy tofu, and this is it!
• Low Carb Parmesan Chicken Tenders – whether doing Keto or sticking to a low carb diet, almond flour comes to the rescue when craving fried chicken strips.

Pasta Dinner Ideas

When craving comfort food, pasta and all the carbohydrates are at the top of the list! Here are our top favorite pasta dishes!

• Cream Cheese Pasta – The ingredients are so slim with this one and it’s incredible alone or you can add your favorite protein to it!
• BBQ Chicken Pasta – After falling in love with a bbq chicken pizza from a local restaurant, this bbq chicken pasta was born and soon became a favorite pasta dish.
• Buffalo Chicken Lasagna – The popular buffalo chicken dip appetizer doesn’t have to only be for special occasions or parties! Bring the buffalo chicken dip to dinner with this fun twist and turning it in to pasta for dinner!
• Chili Mac Recipe – The ultimate comfort food. Warm chili combined with pasta and cheeses creates a chili mac recipe that the family will swoon over!
• Cajun Chicken Alfredo – Love a little spice? Kick things up a notch by adding a cajun spin on chicken alfredo!
• Chicken & Noodles – In elementary school, “chicken & noodles” day was a favorite for so many kids! It’s easy to make this recipe at home and “throwback” to those school days!
• 30 Minute Taco Pasta – Need dinner in a pinch? In only 30 minutes this taco pasta is perfect for Tuesday when you’re craving tacos!
• Lemon Chicken Pasta – The lemon flavor with savory chicken and creamy pasta are a combo that you’ll fall in love with!

Easy Weeknight Dinner for Family

Sometimes meal planning can slip our minds and we need an easy dinner idea, FAST! Here are our favorites for those last-minute dinner needs:

• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta – Combining three loves: bacon, ranch, and pasta… add some chicken and this easy pasta recipe is something the whole family will love!
• Salt and Pepper Chicken Bites – Sounds simple and too easy to be delicious, right? The browned butter, salt and pepper combine for an unbelievable flavor!
• Bagel Pizzas – Friday night may usuallly be pizza night but when you need an easy dinner recipe, and QUICK… grab those bagels and pizza toppings and the let kids help!
• Browned Butter Electric Skillet Burgers – Keep cleanup a breeze by cooking hamburgers in the electric skillet!
• Frito Chili Pies – If you have leftover chili or can make a big batch to freeze, you can easily pour chili on top of Fritos and make a delicious Frito Chili Pie!
• Like our bagel pizzas, this French Bread Pizza is easy to make and the kids love being able to use their favorite toppings.

Easy Soup Dinner Ideas

Soups are one of my favorite dinner ideas because they can easily be doubled and are great leftover for lunch the next day!

• Buffalo Chicken Soup – If you’re a fan of the buffalo chicken dip, this soup recipe may just be a new favorite too! Add some corn chips as a fun topping!
• White Chicken Chili – Cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and a few other common ingredients make a warm, creamy, comforting pot of soup!
• Easy Chili Recipe – Whether you’re looking to feed a large crowd or need a chili recipe for your family, this basic chili is a great base for everyone to include their favorite toppings.
• Chicken Noodle Soup – The soup that all our friends receive when they’re feeling under the weather. Full of herbs and other easy ingredients, this delicious soup is sure to help someone feel better soon!
• Easy Potato Soup – That warm, comforting feeling of a bowl of potato soup doesn’t have to take all day to make! Use this recipe to satisfy that potato soup craving without the hassle of peeling potatoes!

Lazy Dinner Ideas

Not feeling like making dinner but you have to eat? Here are quick and easy recipes to make when feeling lazy!

• Beef and Cheese Burritos – Keep the items on hand for those last-minute “oops” moments when you need something quick!
• Steak Bites – They sound fancy but only taste fancy! Simply cut steaks in to small pieces and have delicious, juicy steak bites in minutes!
• Polish Sausage Alfredo – Polish sausage is a cheap protein to buy and keep on hand. Add it to your favorite pasta and a jar of your favorite alfredo sauce and dinner is served!
• BBQ White Queso Nachos – Have left over meat to use up? It’s nacho night! Top chips with queso, your favorite toppings and the leftover meat for loaded nachos!

One-Pan, One-Dish Dinner Ideas

One-pan dinners are the BEST when wanting to avoid a ton of dirty dishes! Here are the best and easiest one-dish wonders that you’ll love:

• Dutch Oven Pot Roast – It doesn’t get much heartier than this on a Sunday afternoon, and it makes it even better because who wants to do a lot of dishes on a Sunday?
• Baked Pork Chops & Veggies – When you can make the main dish and side dish all at once, you “set it and forget it” until time to eat!
• Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Cook the ground chicken and add in the remaining ingredients, while serving inside of lettuce wraps. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
• Taco Soup Recipe – Similar to an 8-can soup, cook the ground beef in the stock pot and dump the remaining canned ingredients in to simmer and then serve!
• Pizza Monkey Bread – Pizza is everyone’s favorite busy weeknight dinner! Shake things up and make this pizza monkey bread so everyone can grab pieces and dip in to sauce as they please!
• Instant Pot Frozen Meatballs – Now these don’t have to be enjoyed alone but if you want something quick and hearty, these fit the bill.

Vegetarian Dinner Ideas

Looking for a meatless Monday dinner recipe? These are the top favorites when you need an easy, vegetarian dish:

• Vegetarian Chili Recipe – Most chili recipes contain ground beef or venison. But did you know it’s ok to leave that out for a meatless spin? This recipe shows you how!
• Noodle Bowl – It’s easy, vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian! Talk about checking things on the list with this delicious vegetarian recipe!
• Egg Salad Sandwich – Have a lot of eggs to use up? This easy egg salad is great to make a batch of and store in the refrigerator for an easy dinner idea.
• Asian Chopped Salad – The Asian flavors in this salad pack a punch!
• Baked Portobello Stuffed Mushrooms – These hearty mushrooms are so incredibly filling that although mushrooms are classified as a side dish, these are easily a main dish recipe!
• Fried Peanut Butter & Jelly – It’s not your typical pb&j. Toast the bread with butter and serve this popular favorite, warm!

Salad Recipes for Dinner

We are HUGE fans of salads around here so it’s hard to pick our favorites but here are the top that so many make each and every day!

• Chicken Macaroni Salad – Pasta salads usually fall in the side dish category but not when you can add chicken! This is a summer main dish you won’t want to forget!
• Italian Chopped Chicken Salad – After having this salad at a popular Italian restaurant in Chicago, it HAD to be replicated at home!
• Thai Salad Recipe – Tired of the same old salads? The roasted peanuts and other flavors in this salad can help get you out of the same salad routine!
• Curry Chicken Salad – Chicken salad recipes are easy to come by. But not a curry chicken salad for a sandwich that will impress!

Air Fryer Dinner Recipes

Our air fryer is a kitchen necessity these days and here are the top air fryer recipes we have on repeat around here!

• Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer – Tired of waiting for frozen chicken wings to thaw out before frying? Wait no more! Air fry wings from frozen in under 30 minutes!
• Hamburgers in the Air Fryer – Say goodbye to clean-up and babysitting burgers! Hamburgers can be made in the air fryer in minutes and be that same juicy burger you crave!
• Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders – Using panko crumbs, and your favorite hot sauce, these chicken tenders are crunchy and much healthier than store-bought chicken!
• Brats in the Air Fryer – Cook brats in the air fryer to serve for dinner right away or to keep in the refrigerator for the family to easily grab and reheat when they need a late-night snack.
• Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer – No need for a flour breading to get the crunch that you love with chicken legs! The parmesan garlic chicken legs are healthy and tasty!
• Air Fryer Turkey Burgers – An incredibly easy and healthy dinner that the whole family will love!
• Air Fryer Tilapia – This easy recipe is made in no-time and has so much fresh flavor, and pairs perfectly with so many delicious side dishes!

Instant Pot Dinners

The Instant Pot is the ultimate one-pot dinner maker and we use it to make dinner at least twice a week. Here are our favorite Instant Pot dinner recipes!

• Instant Pot Roast – Forget to thaw out your roast for Sunday dinner? No worries. Place this frozen roast right in the Instant Pot and have it ready to eat in 90 minutes!
• Instant Pot Orange Chicken – No need for take-out with this easy orange chicken recipe at home!
• Cheeseburger Macaroni in the Instant Pot – Love hamburger helper but want to make it at home, instead of out of the box? The kids will love this easy, creamy, pasta recipe that’s ready in minutes!
• Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes – Meat and potatoes… the way to your man’s heart! A simple recipe with herbs that you probably already have on hand!
• Kielbasa and Cabbage – The pressure-cooked process combines the flavor of this recipe and it’s ready to eat in as little as 4 minutes!
• Instant Pot French Dip – feel free to use whatever type of roast (beef or venison) that you have on hand for this easy pressure-cooked recipe!
• Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings – That hearty Sunday dinner that grandma used to make can now be made using the Instant Pot!
• Tri Tip in the Instant Pot with Gravy– a cut of beef that can be cooked as a roast with potatoes and carrots for the perfect all-around meal!
• Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot – Thighs are a dark meat that’s SO juicy! Combine that with pressure cooking and you have a delicious meal to add to the rotation!

Slow Cooker Dinners

Slow cookers can make dinnertime a breeze! Set it and forget it is the style and easy and tasty is the goal with these crockpot recipes!

• Slow Cooker Pork Steaks – Pork steaks are good on the grill but if you want an incredibly tender pork steak, you’ll LOVE these BBQ-covered steaks!
• Slow Cooker Beef Steak – Using a London broil, this recipe creates a delicious gravy and the whole recipe only takes 4 ingredients!
• Crock Pot Goulash – Old-fashioned, vintage recipes are a favorite around here, and this Crock Pot Goulash is a perfect fit if you love them too!
• Slow Cooker Beef Tacos – If you love the beef recipes for your Crock Pot, these Shredded Beef Tacos are a must to make!
• Crockpot BBQ Meatballs – Who says meatballs are just for parties and to have as appetizers? These are kid-friendly and great to eat on for dinnertime!
• Venison Chili in the Slow Cooker – Chili gets better when it simmers! This venison chili is simmered and cooked in a slow cooker for the ultimate hearty soup!
• Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole – A meaty, cheesy, and potato Crock Pot dish that’s a family-friendly meal!
• Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas – Made with a few, simple ingredients, the flavors come together for your favorite enchiladas but with the ease of using a slow cooker!
• Crock Pot Shredded Chicken – Prepare a few different meals with this shredded chicken in the slow cooker!
• Slow Cooker Jalapeno Chicken – Love spicy? This cheesy chicken is cooked with jalapenos for a kick!
• Crock-Pot Cube Steak – A more affordable cut of meat, cube steak comes out amazingly tender in this slow cooker recipe, that creates a delicious gravy to top it with!
• Crock Pot Cherry Coke Pulled Pork – The name in itself describes the amazing flavor this pulled pork recipe has!
• Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks – Chicken legs are an affordable option for dinner and when you combine that with using a slow cooker, this recipe is a great option for an easy dinner!

Easy Casserole Dinners

Whether it’s for a potluck dinner or a need for an easy weeknight dinner to pop in the oven, these easy casseroles should be on the list!

• Doritos Chicken Casserole – What kid wouldn’t love their favorite chip combined with other favorites like chicken and cheese! It’s a casserole that so many love!
• Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice – This classic casserole recipe is not only easy but kid-friendly and an old-fashioned favorite.
• Tuna Casserole – Speaking of old-fashioned… this tuna casserole is a staple in the kitchen for anyone wanting to make a hearty familiar favorite.

Ground Beef Dinner Recipes

Ground beef can make amazing casseroles, tacos, and burgers! Here are some of our favorite ground beef recipes!

• Juicy Lucy Burgers – Made on the stovetop, these aren’t your average burgers! They’re stuffed with cheese and full of flavor!
• Cheeseburger Casserole – who doesn’t love a good cheeseburger, especially when you can serve it in casserole form!
• French Onion Ground Beef Casserole – Love that french onion flavor? This casserole recipe is full of it, with hearty ground beef!

Pork Dinner Recipes

Whether you had a hog processed or just happen to have a lot of pork in the freezer, these are our favorite pork recipes for an easy dinner idea:

• BBQ Baked Boneless Pork Chops – BBQ pork, of any kind is delicious, but when they can be baked and tenderized in the oven, it’s a no-brainer and creates a juicy pork chop!
• Sweet & Smokey Pork Chops – The sweet and smokey flavors in this pork chop recipe is one of our favorite combinations!
• Fried Boneless Pork Chops – In the south we like almost everything “fried” and pork chops are no different!
• Chipotle Apple Butter Ribs – Apple butter with pork? You bet. Combine it with a chipotle kick in flavor and it will satisfy your taste buds!

Chicken Dinner Recipes

Chicken is one of the popular ingredients for easy dinner recipes and it’s no exception around here!

• Smoked Chicken Tenders – If you have a smoker, and you haven’t tried cooking chicken tenders on it yet… this will be a whole new world for you!
• Chicken Street Tacos – When taco night rolls around, skip the regular tacos made with ground beef and try chicken for a delicious spin!
• Lasagna Stuffed Chicken – You can never go wrong with stuffed chicken and stuffing it with something like the flavors of lasagna is a flavor combo that so many love!
• Chilli Chicken – A popular Indian dish at home can satisfy those cravings when you can’t get to your favorite restaurant!
• Easy Fried Chicken – Sometimes the craving for fried chicken hits just right! This easy recipe walks you through, step-by-step in how to get that delicious fried chicken flavor and crunch!
• Sweet & Salty Chicken – I’m not sure who doesn’t love a sweet and salty combo! This easy dish is something the whole family will love!

Seafood Dinner Ideas

Whether it’s frozen cod, canned salmon, shrimp or your favorite seafood you have on hand, these easy seafood dinner recipes are the best!

• Panko Crusted Cod – This recipe is not only easy but that crunch on the tender fish is so hard to beat!
• Salmon Patties in the Air Fryer – As if we didn’t love air fryers enough… being able to use fresh or canned salmon in this recipe makes dinner that much easier!
• Cilantro Hummus Fish Tacos – Hummus isn’t just for snacking anymore! It’s an ingredient that can be used as a topping and flavor your favorite tacos, especially fish tacos!
• Easy Crab Bisque – Don’t let the “bisque” word scare you. It sounds fancy but is easy to make at home and don’t worry… let everyone think you spent all day on it!
• Mediterranean Mussels – You don’t have to wait for date night to have mussels anymore! They’re easy to make at home!
• Easy Lobster Bisque – If you love lobster but not the price, substitute imitation lobster for this bisque recipe!

Venison Dinner Recipes

Whether you’re the hunter or you’ve been gifted venison, you’re sure to find a way to use that deer, here:

• Deer Steak on the Stovetop – By far our most popular deer recipe, this venison steak, cooked on the stove-top is easy and delicious!
• Fried Deer Tenderloin – Venison cut in to small pieces and covered in flour, deep-fried in oil, is my all-time favorite dinner recipe, ever.
• Grilled Deer Steak – Using butter to keep this venison steak juicy, is the key to the perfect venison steak on the grill!
• Air Fryer Venison – As with other air fryer recipes, cooking venison is a quick and easy option for dinner!