Hungry, but short on time? Choose from 25+ weeknight dinners that will feed your family FAST! Many are ready in 30 minutes or less!
Fast & Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes
Some nights, layering a lasagna or tucking a pot roast into the oven and letting it cook for hours is totally doable. Most often though, I save longer recipes like those for the weekends or special occasions, and we rely on quick and easy weeknight dinners to get us through busy work/school weeks.
This post compiles all of my weeknight dinner recipes into one easy list! You’ll notice I’ve sorted them based on time, with some finishing in 30 minutes or less and the rest wrapping up in 45 minutes or less. Save this one for when the kids go back to school in the fall or when your schedule just feels too jam-packed to spend hours in the kitchen!
One of our favorite weeknight dinners from this list (we eat it almost every week) is my #1 pick below: BBQ chicken meatballs. I love this recipe because it’s fast, kid-friendly, and bakes in the oven (as opposed to standing over the stove flipping meatballs). You can use your favorite BBQ sauce (or my homemade BBQ sauce!) and the side options are endless (crescent rolls, creamed corn, broccoli salad). I can’t wait for you to try it!
Weeknight Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less
1. BBQ Chicken Meatballs
Great with a side of mashed potatoes and a green veggie! Just 25 minutes to prep.
2. Maple Glazed Salmon
Another favorite in our house! We love serving this with some white rice and steamed or roasted broccoli.
3. Tuscan Chicken
Packed full of veggies and FLAVOR! This one goes well with some crusty artisan bread for sopping up the sauce. Garlic mashed potatoes would be so good here too!
4. Garlic Butter Shrimp
Restaurant-quality flavor in just 25 minutes! This dish is so simple, yet so impressive. We love serving it with a salad (use my Italian dressing!) and some bread or risotto.
5. Cajun Chicken Pasta
A complete meal with plenty of protein from the chicken and fiber from the veggies! Also try my cajun shrimp pasta; it takes a bit longer to make, so I didn’t include it in this list of weeknight dinners.
6. Sloppy Joes
A classic weeknight dinner recipe! My version is completely from-scratch and ready in a breeze. Pair with potato wedges, roasted sweet potatoes, or mac and cheese and some cucumber salad!
7. Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ready in just 25 minutes! Serve with homemade breadsticks for that Italian restaurant experience.
8. Taco Salad
For nights when you need something a bit fresher and lighter, but still satisfying. Add a side of black beans or refried beans for even more fiber and protein!
9. Chicken Salad
One of my favorites! It has plenty of crunchy add-ins and tastes great on toasted bread (I like sourdough bread!), with crackers, or on a bed of lettuce.
10. Smash Burgers
One of the fastest weeknight dinners in this list, these smash burgers come together in a flash! They taste even better on homemade burger buns or potato buns.
11. Pretzel Crusted Chicken
This dinner is unique enough for adults but still familiar for kids. We love serving it with roasted potatoes and a green veggie like roasted brussels sprouts!
12. Lemon Pasta
Lemon pasta is similar to alfredo, but lightened up and fresher with lemon juice and zest. It pairs well with sautéed asparagus!
Weeknight Dinners in 45 Minutes or Less
13. White Chicken Chili
So comforting and filling! Don’t forget the toppings for this one–we like tortilla chips, cheese, and some fresh cilantro. A side of buttermilk cornbread or cornbread biscuits won’t hurt either 😉
14. Greek Chicken Orzo
This is one of my favorite weeknight dinners because it is just so flavorful. Serve with some baklava for dessert for the full Greek experience!
15. Maryland Crab Cakes
An authentic Maryland recipe with lots of crab meat and very little filler. These crab cakes pair well with coleslaw, Mexican street corn salad, or a caesar salad. And don’t forget the tartar sauce for dipping!
16. Chicken Alfredo
This recipe pairs my homemade alfredo sauce with your favorite noodles and seared chicken. It’s a crowd-pleaser!
17. Rigatoni
One of my most popular weeknight dinner recipes! Sausage adds such a good flavor here. Serve with your favorite bread on the side!
18. Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Like Panera, but homemade! I even have a recipe for homemade bread bowls, if you want the full cafe experience 😉
19. Salisbury Steak
Another classic! My version is 100% from-scratch and oh so good. Pairs well with peas, buttered egg noodles, or dinner rolls!
20. Tuscan Chicken Pasta
All the flavor of my tuscan chicken (found higher up in this list!), but in a filling pasta dish! We love serving this one with garlic knots.
21. Tomato Soup
My recipe uses canned tomatoes to keep this recipe weeknight friendly. If you’re looking for a tomato soup recipe with fresh tomatoes, check out my roasted tomato basil soup (takes longer, but is SO worth it!).
22. Meat Sauce
This one freezes well, which makes it one of my favorite weeknight dinners. I like to make a double batch and freeze half for nights when we need dinner FAST!
23. Cream of Crab Soup
Another Maryland staple! This is one of my favorite soup recipes. Serve with garlic cheese drop biscuits on the side!
24. Summer Pasta
When summer veggies take over, make this easy summer pasta (and a loaf of zucchini bread or two)! This is a vegetarian weeknight dinner, but it also pairs well with grilled chicken or sausage if needed.
25. Chicken Tortilla Soup
Like the restaurant version, only better! This soup tastes great with a side of jalapeno cornbread or corn muffins.
26. Stuffed Shells
This is one of our go-to weeknight dinners because it’s so quick and easy to prep. A satisfying vegetarian dinner option!
27. Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
A one-pot meal! This one is filling and hearty–it’s so good during cooler weather.
Have More Time? Make These!
- The Best Meatloaf Recipe (I’m so proud of this one!)
- Baked Ziti
- Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
- Shepherd’s Pie
- The BEST Chili Recipe (it’s won dozens of awards!)
- Beef Ragu
- French Onion Chicken
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork (tastes like its been cooking for hours!)
- Manicotti
- Butter Chicken (better than takeout!)
- Penne Alla Vodka
- Pink Sauce Pasta
- Crispy Chicken Tacos (pictured below)
I hope you found a new favorite here to add to your dinner rotation. If there are any specific weeknight dinner recipes that you’d like to see from me, please leave me a comment below!
Also, while I included a few of them here, you should check out my full collection of soup recipes as many work for weeknight dinners!
Enjoy!
If you try any of these recipes, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Kristen
I agree! Your tomato soup and potato soup are the best! Everyone in my family loves them. Please keep adding savory recipes because everything you make is delicious!
Sam Merritt
Thank you so much, Kristen! 🙂
Ari
I LOVE your dinner recipes!! I think I’m one of the only users of your site who comes here for the savory stuff, as I don’t like sweets (don’t worry though, if I need to bake dessert I ALWAYS use your recipes!). Thank you for putting your dinner recipes all in one place and sectioning them out by the amount of time needed. Every recipe is a winner and something I want to make again. I don’t think I’d still be cooking if I hadn’t found your website and YouTube channel. I hope there are more dinner recipes in the future!
Sam Merritt
Thank you so much for your support, Ari! I do plan on putting out some occasional savory recipes. 🙂