50 simple dinner concepts to avoid wasting even the busiest weeknights

If you wish to serve a home made dinner however do not need to spend all day within the kitchen, these simple dinner concepts will prevent meal time. From gradual cooker recipes to recipes which can be prepared in lower than half-hour to meals with quick ingredient lists, these simple dinner concepts nonetheless pack a punch. Many of those simple dinner concepts are on the desk even quicker than takeout.

Simply because these dinner concepts are simple to place collectively does not imply they’re boring or lack taste. On this listing, you may discover scrumptious, flavorful dinners like Creamy Rooster Alfredo Casserole, Straightforward Shrimp Scampi With Basil, and Sloppy Joe Casserole with Dinner Rolls, simply to call just a few. And did we point out a few of them are solely 10 minutes lengthy? It would not get any simpler than that.

Learn on for our 50 greatest simple dinner concepts of all time.


Caitlin Bensel; Meals styling: Torie Cox

Whereas this lasagna takes an hour to make from begin to end, most of that point is spent within the oven. Noodles that do not boil and are baked within the oven assist cut back prep time and soiled dishes.



Picture: Victor Protasio; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Meals styling: Emily Nabors Corridor

You are simply 25 minutes and one baking tray away from getting this dinner on the desk. Microwaveable rice additionally makes it even simpler to tug collectively.



Greg DuPree

Useful components like sauce from a jar and hen on the rotisserie make this casserole come collectively simply. Plus, it is prepared in an hour.



Greg Dupree

Sure, it’s potential to whip up a scorching home made stir-fry in simply 10 minutes. That’s even quicker than supply or assortment.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop styling: Kathleen Varner; Meals styling: Maggie Ruggiero



Not solely is that this simple casserole prepared in simply half-hour, but it surely can be made forward of time and stored within the fridge for as much as 2 days. This makes it simple to get collectively on weekends to cook dinner on busy weeknights.



Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly; Meals stylist: Ali Ramee

You are solely 5 components and half-hour away from serving up this ravioli dish for dinner.



Fred Hardy II; Meals Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely



This hen dish may be cooked in your gradual cooker for two hours on excessive or 4 hours on low. We suggest serving with mashed potatoes or rice.



Caitlin Bensel; Meals stylist: Torie Cox



Because the title implies, this soup turns seven cans and a few seasonings right into a scorching and savory soup in simply half-hour.



Victor Protasio; Prop styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Meals styling: Emily Nabors Corridor

Collect the components for these burrito bowls in simply 10 minutes and let every member of the family assemble their owl bowl to their very own style.



Photographer Victor Protasio, meals stylist Rishon Hanners, prop stylist Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

This home made pizza is prepared in simply half-hour because of the ready pizza dough and marinara sauce from a jar.



Pictures and styling: Karen Rankin

Cook dinner all of the hen and veggies for fajitas on the similar time because of your trusty pan. And since your pan is lined with aluminum foil, cleanup is a breeze.



Caitlin Bensel

This versatile hen consists of simply 5 components and can be utilized in tacos, quesadillas, burrito bowls and extra.



Jen Causey, Meals Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer



Improve burger evening with this recipe the place onions actually are the star of the present. They arrive collectively in only one skillet in 20 minutes.



Hector Manuel Sanchez

This casserole meal contains 10 minutes of hands-on time and is then baked within the oven for 40 minutes. Whereas it is baking, you are able to do different chores within the kitchen and nonetheless have dinner on the desk inside an hour.



Morgan Hunt Glaze; Meals Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley



As soon as this hen is completed with low and gradual cooking, make certain to avoid wasting the pan juices from the pan. Pouring it over the hen captures all that additional taste.



Alison Miksch



What’s higher than a gradual cooker dinner? One which solely requires a handful of components. All you should do is brown the skin of the roast and the gradual cooker takes over.



Greg DuPree

All parts of this pasta dish cook dinner collectively in a single pan. Plus, it comes collectively in half-hour



Jen Causey; Meals Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley



Seize a rotisserie hen from the grocery retailer and you will be serving up this comforting one-pot soup in simply half-hour. You can even hold it within the freezer for the busiest days.



Picture: Victor Protasio; Prop styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Meals styling: Torie Cox

Serve the nachos straight from the oven onto the baking sheet for a enjoyable household dinner that youngsters and adults alike will love. You may personalize the nachos with any topping you want.



Emily Laurae / Southern Life



Cook dinner taco soup on low and gradual all day in your gradual cooker to develop layers of scrumptious taste with out having to take a seat by the range all day stirring.



Victor Protasio; Prop styling: Claire Spollen; Meals styling: Torie Cox



We advocate rigatoni pasta on this hen dish, however you may as well use one other pasta form if you have already got one readily available. It comes collectively in simply 20 minutes, together with the home made buttermilk alfredo sauce.



Photographer Victor Protasio, meals stylist Rishon Hanners, prop stylist Heather Chadduck

A layer of cheddar cheese and Hawaiian candy dinner rolls are the best topping for a home made sloppy joe combine.



Hector Manuel Sanchez

For this hen chili recipe, all you should do is toss all of the components into your gradual cooker and cook dinner it on excessive for five to six hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. We like to supply bitter cream, shredded cheese, avocado and contemporary cilantro as toppings.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop styling: Christine Keely; Meals styling: Emily Nabors Corridor

Whereas we love home made meatballs, we predict busy weeknights are an important excuse to succeed in for the frozen selection, so you’ll be able to have dinner on the desk in simply half-hour.



Victor Protasio; Prop styling: Audrey Davis; Meals styling: Rishon Hanners

To make this salad come collectively as simply as potential, we’ll want hen from the rotisserie, however you may as well use any cooked hen you’ve readily available, and even prime it with steak.



Caitlin Bensel; Meals styling: Torie Cox



This four-ingredient dinner will get its crowd-pleasing taste from one easy ingredient: a packet of ranch dressing combine. We additionally love that this whole dinner comes collectively on only one baking sheet.



Photographer Victor Protasio, meals stylist Ruth Blackburn, prop stylist Christine Keely

Contemporary shrimp and cherry tomatoes are the right duo for a fast summer season supper.



Caitlin Bensel; Meals Styling: Melissa Grey; Prop styling: Mission Neville Crawford

Fireplace up the grill for this 15-minute salmon dinner that will not litter your kitchen. Throughout grilling season, it’s positive to turn out to be a household favourite.



Fred Hardy, Meals Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke



Made with floor beef, bell peppers, onion, and a handful of pantry staples, this basic sandwich supper comes collectively in simply quarter-hour.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell; Meals stylist: Chelsea Zimmer



This recipe is spectacular sufficient to appear to be it got here from a restaurant kitchen, however you’ll be able to whip it up at dwelling in simply 25 minutes. You should use hen inventory rather than the wine in case you desire.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop styling: Kathleen Varner; Meals styling: Emily Nabors Corridor

As a result of this recipe’s salad base wants to chill for no less than 2 hours earlier than including the hen, it is an important dinner to prep for busy weeknights. Simply save the hen so as to add simply earlier than serving so it stays crispy.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Meals stylist: Emily Nabors Corridor



For those who suppose making chili takes all day, suppose once more. This fast model is prepared in simply 20 minutes (sure, you learn that proper).



Anthony Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell; Meals stylist: Ruth Blackburn



This one-skillet macaroni and cheese dinner will get just a bit bit of warmth from a chopped poblano chile. Take away the ribs to make the dish even milder.



Picture: Jennifer Causey; Prop styling: Christine Keely; Meals styling: Torie Cox

Serve a style of the tropics like dwelling with this colourful recipe. This 15-minute meal is mild, flavorful, and also you need not flip in your oven or stovetop.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop styling: Christine Keely; Meals styling: Tina Bell Stamos

When selecting the salmon for this 30-minute supper, ensure you select items which can be comparable in measurement in order that they cook dinner evenly.



Photographer Victor Protasio, meals stylist Ruth Blackburn, prop stylist Christine Keely

This 15-minute recipe transforms bagged frozen shrimp and coleslaw combine right into a satisfying taco dinner.



Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

With a pound of pulled pork, the home made mac and cheese filling is sufficient to function a essential dish. You can even make it forward of time and hold it within the fridge for as much as 3 days.



Alison Miksch

Making this soup solely takes one pot and 20 minutes. It requires chilled chicken-and-prosciutto tortelloni, however any taste will work.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop styling: Kathleen Varner; Meals styling: Torie Cox

Utilizing roast hen as a base for the hen salad makes this simple dinner occur with no cooking concerned.



Greg DuPree



Rooster bathroom, a conventional Lowcountry dish, is a simple and fast dinner. This model is made even friendlier throughout the week because of rotisserie hen.



Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Do not let the truth that this recipe is a stew cease you from cooking it on a busy weeknight. It truly comes collectively in simply 20 minutes,



Hector Sanchez

Bursting grape tomatoes underneath the broiler permits them to burst and provides lots of taste to frozen ravioli. The entire dish is prepared in simply quarter-hour.



Victor Protasio, Meals Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely



For those who do not actually have the time to make meatloaf, mini loaves assist you to take pleasure in the identical style, however with a a lot quicker cooking time.



Stacy Ok. Allen; Props: Josh Hoggle; Meals Stylist: Melissa Grey



All it takes to make this casserole model of Rooster Tortilla Soup is collect the components, combine them and bake.



Greg DuPree

If the phrases “fast and straightforward” are within the title of the recipe, you realize it is meant for busy weeknights.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell; Meals styling: Chelsea Zimmer

More often than not spent on this recipe comes from assembling the kabobs. They solely want 2 minutes per facet on the grill.



Anthony Achilleos; Prop styling: Kathleen Varner; Meals styling: Maggie Ruggiero

After making this simple stir-fry dish, the reviewers agree they’ll make this recipe over and over.



Ralph Anderson; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Sure, you’ll be able to put this creamy pasta dish on the desk inside 10 minutes. We ask for freshly sliced ​​tomatoes, however you may as well use drained canned tomatoes if desired.



Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

This enjoyable supper comes with a handful of useful components. It begins with frozen garlic bread topped with hen deli, canned pizza sauce and shredded cheese.



Jennifer Davic



For greatest outcomes, select bone-in hen thighs as an alternative of boneless for this gradual cooker recipe.