Who says dinner has to be complicated? Let’s face it – you have a busy schedule. But you don’t have to hit the drive-thru just to get dinner on the table. I have 21+ delicious, easy dinner recipes for you to try today. There’s something for everyone on this list – even picky kids!
21+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Beginners Anyone Can Make
1. Stuffed Mashed Potato Nests
These mashed potato nests are crazy simple to make, and they taste amazing. Just peel, slice and boil potatoes. Mash with butter and fresh herbs. Create balls of potato about the size of your fist, and make a well in the center.
Fill the well with ground beef that’s been cooked with onion, garlic, spices and tomato sauce.
Top with cheese, bake for 10 minutes and enjoy.
Even the kids will love this recipe, and it’s ready in no time.
2. Roasted Gnocchi, Tomato and Mozzarella
Three ingredients are all you need to make this tasty, easy dinner: gnocchi, cherry (or grape) tomatoes and marinated mozzarella.
Bake the gnocchi and tomatoes on a sheet pan (you can also add some fresh garlic if you like) with some of the juice from the marinated mozzarella.
Once it’s done baking and the tomatoes are roasted, add the mozzarella and pop it back into the oven until the cheese is melty.
3. Korean Beef Rice Bowls
These bowls are so delicious and incredibly easy to make. If you have leftover cooked white rice, you’ll save even more time.
The key ingredient is the sauce that you’ll cook the ground beef in, made with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and gochujang.
Once that’s ready, serve over rice in a bowl with julienned carrots, sliced cucumbers and kimchi. You can add a little gochujang mayo, too, if you want.
4. Spinach Mushroom Orzo
Talk about delicious, easy dinner recipes. It doesn’t get much better than this orzo.
Just cook your favorite type of mushroom in a skillet with olive oil until it starts to brown. Add garlic and baby spinach and cook until the leaves are wilted.
Add some cooked orzo to the skillet and toss to combine.
Top with some grated Parmesan cheese, and you’re ready to serve.
5. Hobo Casserole with Ground Beef
A simple casserole that everyone in the family will love. This recipe mixes ground beef with savory onion, potatoes, mixed vegetables, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth and spices.
The whole dish is baked to perfection in the oven. We like to add cheese to the top and garnish with fresh parsley.
6. Garlic Butter Chicken
A quick and simple recipe that’s packed with flavor. Just saute bite-sized pieces of chicken breast in a tasty sauce made of soy sauce, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Add broccoli florets and spinach to the and cook until bright green.
You can eat this as-is, or serve it over rice.
7. Loaded Potato Taco Bowl
Our whole family loves this recipe, and it’s a perfect dish to prepare when you’ve had a busy day. You’ll need just a few ingredients to make this:
- Diced potatoes
- Ground beef
- Corn kernels
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Cherry tomatoes
- Avocado
- Cooked bacon
I like to boil and then roast the potatoes until they’re crispy, but if you’re pressed for time, you could just boil them.
Cook your ground beef however you prefer. We like to add taco seasoning.
Then, just assemble your bowl, starting with the potatoes and ground beef. Then, add the tomatoes, avocado, bacon and cheese. Top with sour cream and green onions.
8. Doritos Taco Casserole
If you love tacos but don’t have the energy to set up a full taco bar, then this casserole is a great compromise. It has everything you love about tacos in a simple dish that you just toss all together.
It mixes ground beef with onion, taco seasoning, pinto beans, Rotel tomatoes, sour cream, cheddar cheese and Doritos.
You can add whatever toppings you like, but we always add lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo and pickled jalapenos.
9. Grilled Chicken, Rice and Avocado Salad
Here’s an easy, healthy dinner that’s ready in no time. Tender, seasoned and grilled chicken breasts paired with a zesty corn salad and served over rice. Yum!
The corn salad is a mix of roasted corn, diced red onion, diced tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, cilantro and salt.
Prepare the salad while the chicken is grilling, and you’ll be ready to eat in no time.
Related: 21 Delish High-Protein Dinner Ideas on a Budget
10. Chicken, Tomato and Spinach Pasta
A tasty pasta dish that even the kids will enjoy. This recipe is super simple and has become a staple in our house.
Start by sauteeing whole cherry tomatoes in a skillet with olive oil and some fresh garlic. The tomatoes should soften and release their juices. Add some salt and pepper, and then your fresh baby spinach.
Toss in some fresh pasta. You can use traditional pasta if you want, just be sure to cook it first before adding it to the skillet.
Next, toss in some cooked chicken or shrimp (whichever you prefer). Enjoy!
11. One-Pan Salmon and Roasted Vegetables
One of our favorite easy dinner recipes when we want something healthy. This sheet-pan meal is ready in just 45 minutes or less.
And what you’ll really love is that you can get as creative as you want with it. Red onion, cherry tomatoes and broccoli are always great options, but you can use cauliflower or whatever other veggie combination you prefer.
At the center of the pan, you’ll add your fresh salmon. Drizzle some olive oil, salt and pepper over the pan.
Bake for about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce with yogurt, feta cheese, parsley, mustard and lemon juice/zest. Top the salmon with the sauce and you’re ready to eat.
12. Greek Chicken Bowls
This recipe is oh-so easy to make, but I recommend marinating the chicken thighs the night before you’re going to cook it to save you time.
This dish has all of the Mediterranean flavors you love: cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, herbs and a delicious tzatziki sauce.
Serve it over a bed of rice or on its own.
13. Mexican Street Corn Chicken
This is a dish that everyone will be asking for time and time again. The best part? It can be prepped and in the oven in as little as 10 minutes.
You need only a few ingredients: sweet corn, chicken breast, queso fresco, mayonnaise, sour cream, spices, cilantro and lime.
The street corn mix is baked on top of the chicken breasts and served as-is.
14. Million Dollar Baked Tortellini
Easy dinner recipes don’t get much better than this. Delicious cheese tortellini baked with savory, creamy meat sauce and topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Everyone – even the kids – will devour this dish.
We like to serve this with a side of garlic bread or a salad.
15. One-Pan Chicken Burrito Casserole
This one-pan dish will easily become a part of your dinner rotation. Tasty long-grain rice, shredded chicken, black beans, fajita seasoning, peppers, onions and other tasty ingredients all combine to make a mouth-watering meal.
The melty cheese is just icing on the cake.
Related: 20 High-Protein Air Fryer Recipes
16. Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
Orecchiette with delish sausage and broccoli is easy to make in 30 minutes and requires only simple ingredients. Your dish will have broccoli florets, orecchiette pasta, olive oil, raw Italian sausage, garlic and reserved pasta water.
For the toppings, you’ll add:
- Cracked pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
And all you need is a large skillet and a pasta pot with a straining cover.
17. Maple Dijon Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls
Cube your sweet potatoes, toss salt, pepper and olive oil before spreading on a sheet pan. Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping once and then add in broccoli with salt, pepper and oil. While the veggies are roasting, you’ll heat the following in a skillet:
- Pour your sauce in a skillet with the chicken
- Add a base of cooked rice or quinoa
- Top with roasted potatoes and veggies
You can also nix the base if you prefer the chicken.
18. Parmesan Crusted Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
Parmesan crusted chicken takes less than an hour to make and has crispy roasted potatoes, green beans and tender chicken. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, toss your potato ingredients in a small bowl and bake for 15 minutes.
Toss all of the remaining chicken ingredients in the same bowl and mix well.
Add your chicken to the pan with the potatoes and place back in the oven while you make the green beans. Bake for another 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
19. Savory Ground Beef Stir Fry
Considered a one-pan wonder, this stir-fry is easy to make and has an explosion of flavors. You’ll add 80-20 ground beef, medium zucchini, brown mushrooms and carrots for the ground beef. For the sauce, you’ll need soy sauce, BBQ sauce, maple syrup, garlic, ginger and sesame oil.
20. Coconut Chicken & Rice
Simple and easy dinner recipes like these are always delicious and hard to “mess up.” You’ll need 40 minutes for this recipe, which has four main components:
- Chicken: Seasoned chicken with ground cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper and lime.
- Coconut Rice: Long-grain white rice, coconut milk, chicken broth and spices come together with your coconut rice.
- Garnish: Add fresh parsley, lime wedges and shredded coconut.
Related: 25 One Sheet Pan Meals for the Busy Home Cook
21. Sheet Pan Chipotle Chicken Thighs with Broccoli
Sheet Pan Chipotle calls for:
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- Raw broccoli
- Red onion
- Avocado oil
- Brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, paprika, onion powder and a handful of other spices
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Coconut aminos
- Dried thyme
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Put a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven, prep your broccoli and onion in a bowl, add spices and make your rub. Rub your chicken, bake and while the chicken is cooking, make your mustard sauce.
22. Broccoli Cheddar Chicken & Rice Casserole
Cheesy, delish and easy to make, this recipe works perfectly if you have a rotisserie chicken. And it’s a great dish that you can keep refrigerated for up to 2 days prior to baking it. Just remember to add the cracker and butter topping during your last 10 minutes of baking.
You’ll need a 9×13 casserole dish for this recipe, which calls for:
- Cut your chicken in bite sizes
- Heat butter in a pan
- Add your chicken and cook for five minutes before removing
- Add your cream of soup, sour cream, milk, cheddar cheese and optional seasoning
- Transfer to a casserole dish, add your melted butter and crushed crackers and serve
