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HomeHealthy Eating50+ Greatest Straightforward Dinner Concepts

50+ Greatest Straightforward Dinner Concepts


Right here’s your final information for the greatest straightforward dinner concepts! From lightning-fast recipes to batch cooking on a Sunday, I’ll present you find out how to plan a stress-free week crammed with tasty and nourishing meals the entire household will get pleasure from.

A big pan of creamy cajun chicken

Plan Your Dinner Recipes Forward

Ever wrestle to get a home-cooked meal executed by time for dinner? Or really feel uninspired by your weekly rotation? Effectively, excellent news – I’ve rounded up a listing of the very best dinner concepts that test the packing containers for wholesome, uncomplicated, and tremendous scrumptious.

To profit from this checklist, it’s actually about planning forward. Listed below are a couple of methods to strategize — regardless of how your week pans out:

  • Make a listing of 30-minute recipes to maintain readily available. For days the place you may have one hour to spare for cooking, these will turn out to be useful. Suppose one pan meals, straightforward stir fry recipes, and sheet pan dinners which are jam full of taste.
  • Batch cook dinner components to avoid wasting time all through the week. In case you’ve adopted my meal prep information earlier than, simply how handy this plan is. As an alternative of batch cooking total recipes, you’ll prep components to create thrilling combine and match meals that come collectively in about 5 minutes.
  • Depend on freezer-friendly meals for busy months. You can also make a delicious hen casserole and pre-cut it into parts for a grab-and-go reheatable meal. Or cook dinner up an enormous pot of beef chili and freeze a number of parts for later. Simply be certain that to plan for meals that retailer effectively and will be reheated all through the month. You’ll quickly begin to admire these prompt freezer meals!

Straightforward Dinner Concepts Underneath 30 Minutes

These flavorful but straightforward dinner concepts will be prepared in below half-hour! Which means minimal components and instruments with straightforward clear up. Who doesn’t love that?

Cods en papillote on a baking sheet

Mediterranean Cod en Papillote: In half-hour, you’ll have flaky baked cod and completely steamed veggies infused with recent Mediterranean flavors.

Chicken stir-fry in a pan.

Hen Stir-Fry: This speedy dinner is loaded with juicy hen, colourful veggies, and is a 30 minute meal the entire household will love!

Shrimp scampi in a large pan with a spoon

Shrimp Scampi: Nothing beats a basic shrimp scampi cooked in essentially the most aromatic garlic butter sauce. And sure, it solely takes about 10 minutes to make! Facet notice — you may toss it with zucchini noodles to make this zucchini pasta with shrimp.

Baked chicken breasts in a pan.

Greatest Baked Hen: Make juicy and tender hen breasts with this foolproof baked hen that takes solely 25 minutes. For easier marinade concepts, try my checklist of hen marinades!

Mediterranean ground beef stir fry in a pan with a slotted spoon.

Mediterranean Floor Beef Stir Fry: The very best factor about this straightforward stir fry dinner is how customizable it’s! Plus, it tastes nice served with rice, lentils, and extra.

Tuna salad on a slice of bread.

Tuna Salad: For one thing tremendous fast, this creamy and crunchy tuna salad all the time ticks the field. Plus, you may serve it with bread or lettuce wraps. And if you need additional greens in your meal — you’ll love this broccoli tuna salad.

Baked salmon in a pan next to lemon wedges.

Greatest Baked Salmon: This straightforward 15-minute dinner achieves completely tender salmon coated in lemon garlic butter and recent herbs.

These Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps are reminiscent of PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps, yet they're gluten-free, paleo and much healthier. It's a family favorite chicken dinner recipe.

Asian Hen Lettuce Wraps: This hen lettuce wrap is ideal for a recent but savory meal that may be made in below half-hour!

Dinner Concepts Your Household Will Love

Fulfill these choosy eaters with these deliciously comforting dinner concepts for the household! Select from burrito bowls, pizza, and all issues hen — with a wholesome, home made spin.

A skillet of tuscan chicken

Creamy Tuscan Hen: Tender hen simmered in a creamy sauce crammed with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach is bound to be a dinner favourite.

Chicken fajitas in a pan on a table with toppings.

Hen Fajitas: That is nice for a build-your-own dinner type of night time! And if you wish to change it up the protein, you can also make my steak fajitas or shrimp fajitas.

A pan with shrimp fried rice with a serving spoon.

Shrimp Fried Rice: Skip the Chinese language take-out and make your individual shrimp fried rice at residence! It’s tremendous straightforward and tastes simply pretty much as good (if not higher).

Pizza stuffed zucchini on a baking tray.

Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats: Give pizza a wholesome new twist with these stuffed zucchini boats. I assure the kiddos will love this.

Baked meatballs in marinara sauce in a pan

Meatballs: These juicy meatballs simmered in home made marinara sauce are all the time a household favourite. You could possibly additionally pair this sauce with fennel pork meatballs.

Two cooked cauliflower pizzas.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust: Take pleasure in pizza with a wholesome twist utilizing this straightforward cauliflower pizza crust! Plus, everybody can get inventive with their toppings.

Beef barbacoa burrito bowl on a table with salsa.

Barbacoa Burrito Bowls: In case you’ve bought a gradual cooker, this barbacoa recipe will prevent time and delivers an enormous taste. Construct Chipotle-like bowls with cilantro lime rice, pico de gallo, beans, corn, and guacamole. And in case you’re a pork fan, you’ll love this carnitas recipe.

Whole30 casserole recipe with shredded chicken, sautéed mushrooms and broccoli, then topped with my Vegan Alfredo Sauce for an easy and healthy weeknight dinner. It's also a dairy-free and paleo casserole recipe.

Whole30 Hen Broccoli Casserole: This chicken-broccoli combo is all the time a household favourite. And this one’s excellent for dairy-free people with a vegan alfredo sauce.

Air Fryer Dinner Concepts

It’s actually onerous to beat the air fryer in terms of straightforward dinner concepts. Bonus – there’s often only one merchandise to cleanup afterward – the air fryer itself!

Air fryer chicken breasts on a plate with a fork

Air Fryer Hen Breast: That is an air fryer staple recipe to maintain in your again pocket. It ends in tremendous juicy hen coated in the very best seasoning.

Air fryer salmon filets on a plate

Air Fryer Salmon: The spiced Dijon mustard topping on these salmon filets is chef’s kiss. Plus, they prove tremendous moist with a phenomenal outer crust each time.

Lemon pepper air fryer chicken wings on a plate.

Air Fryer Hen Wings: The complete household will love these crispy and juicy lemon pepper hen wings. And sure, they are often served for dinner or as an appetizer.

Greatest Dinner Concepts with Hen

There’s no denying our love for hen in terms of dinner. From hen breast to hen thighs, I’ll present you find out how to create the tastiest hen dinners in a snap.

Greek sheet pan chicken with vegetables.

Greek Sheet Pan Hen: This sheet pan hen is considered one of my high recipes for a purpose. You’ve bought juicy marinated hen roasted with recent tomatoes, zucchini, crimson onions, olives, and crumbled feta – multi functional sheet pan.

Cajun chicken with mashed potatoes

Creamy Cajun Hen: With a batch of my home made Cajun seasoning, this hen dinner comes collectively quick! It’s bought a great deal of taste with a creamy sauce that’s nice served over mashed potatoes.

Chicken and rice in one pan garnished with lemon slices and parsley.

One Pan Hen And Rice: This one-pan dish shines vibrant with Mediterranean flavors, juicy hen thighs, and citrusy rice.

Butter chicken with rice in a bowl.

Butter Hen: With a handful of spices, I’ll present you find out how to make the very best butter hen that simmers in essentially the most velvety curry sauce.

Six cooked chicken thighs with cilantro lime flavors in a fry pan.

Cilantro Lime Hen: Whisk collectively cilantro, lime, spices, and a contact of honey to show hen thighs into sticky candy, cilantro lime goodness.

Teriyaki chicken recipe served with rice and broccoli.

Teriyaki Hen: I’ll present you find out how to take advantage of scrumptious teriyaki hen with an genuine home made teriyaki sauce.

Balsamic chicken and Brussels sprouts on a sheet pan

Balsamic Hen: Juicy hen thighs are marinated in a savory-sweet balsamic sauce, then roasted with Brussels sprouts and crimson onions in a single straightforward sheet pan recipe!

White chicken chili in a bowl next a pot of it.

White Hen Chili: This one-pot surprise is a hearty chili that swaps in white beans and hen, for a switch-up you’ll love.

A casserole dish filled with honey mustard chicken thighs

Honey Mustard Hen: You’ll love this addictively scrumptious, sticky candy, and savory baked hen!

Skewers of greek chicken kabobs with a bowl of tzaztiki.

Greek Hen Kabobs: Come grilling season, these hen kabobs with a facet of tzatziki sauce are certain to be in rotation. Skewers are threaded with lemony hen and recent chunky veggies!

Turmeric chicken and rice casserole

Turmeric Hen and Rice Casserole: Turmeric provides a heat, curry-like taste to this hen and rice casserole. A intelligent approach to get pleasure from extra turmeric.

Thrilling Floor Beef Dinner Concepts

Don’t overlook that pound of floor beef sitting in your freezer. It cooks quick, makes for hearty meals, and will be stuffed or layered into essentially the most comforting, freezer-friendly, straightforward dinner concepts.

A bowl of chili on a table with a spoon.

Greatest Chili Recipe: There’s all the time a time and a spot for an enormous pot of beef chili. Plus, it’s tremendous straightforward to make and nice for meal prepping!

Zucchini lasagna in a white casserole dish.

Zucchini Lasagna: This zucchini lasagna tastes simply pretty much as good as the unique, plus it’s loaded with additional greens!

Six stuffed peppers in a casserole dish.

Stuffed Peppers: I’d say stuffed peppers are a household favourite, so make a double batch to retailer some within the freezer for later.

A large pan of shepherd's pie

Shepherd’s Pie: That is consolation meals at its most interesting — with floor lamb and greens simmered in a savory sauce, then topped with fluffy mashed potatoes.

Taco soup is guaranteed to be a family favorite. It's healthy, incredibly easy (only takes 30 minutes) and naturally gluten-free. The perfect healthy dinner!

Taco Soup: Take pleasure in your favourite taco flavors — multi functional soup! And sure, this can be a nice pantry-friendly recipe.

A plate of zucchini noodles topped with bolognese sauce, fresh parmesan and basil.

Zucchini Noodle Spaghetti Bolognese: Constructed from recent tomatoes and floor beef, home made bolognese sauce is the very best. And to maintain issues gentle, zucchini noodles are the proper match to finish this “pasta” meal.

Recent and Gentle Seafood Dinner Concepts

The choices are seemingly infinite in terms of seafood for dinner — there’s salmon, flakey baked cod, juicy scallops, and naturally tasty little shrimp. Bonus, you solely want a couple of easy components to make every of those seafood choices style superb!

Four baked cod filets in a white casserole dish.

Baked Cod: This straightforward, foolproof methodology ensures completely flaky fish baked in the very best garlic butter herb topping.

Salmon salad in a large white bowl

Salmon Salad: This creamy salad has all of it – flaky baked salmon, crisp celery, crimson onion, radishes, and recent herbs, tossed in the very best lemony dressing. 

Creamy chipotle shrimp in a saute pan with garnish.

Creamy Chipotle Shrimp: With the assistance of this home made chipotle sauce, this straightforward one-pan recipe is bursting with zesty flavors and a spicy kick.

Several scallops in a pan.

Scallops With Citrus Ginger Sauce: One of the best ways to decorate scallops is with this straightforward citrus ginger sauce!

Dijon baked salmon on a tray with a fork.

Dijon Baked Salmon: That is considered one of my go-to salmon recipes for dinner. The Dijon herb unfold is extremely tasty and the salmon comes out completely moist and tender.

Grilled shrimp skewers on a plate with lemon slices, parsley and the marinade.

Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewers: After soaking in an herby, garlicky marinade, these grilled shrimp style superb with nearly any facet dish.

Orange glazed salmon in a pan.

Orange Glazed Salmon: Coated in the very best citrusy candy glaze, these salmon fillets are assured to be a weeknight favourite.

Salads for Dinner That Truthfully Maintain You Full

Don’t suppose a salad will maintain you full? Suppose once more! These recipes are loaded with greens, scrumptious proteins, and wholesome fat.

A large bowl of mandarin chicken salad.

Mandarin Hen Salad: This recent and filling salad is piled excessive with candy mandarins, shredded hen, avocado, and crunchy toppings, then tossed with a zingy lemon French dressing

Chicken salad in a white bowl with spoon.

Final Hen Salad: You’ll be able to get pleasure from it straight out of the bowl (like I do), add it to a sandwich, or wrap it in butter lettuce leaves. A lot versatility!

Salmon filet on salad with avocado slices.

Salmon Avocado Salad: Prime pan-seared salmon on a mattress of leafy greens, avocado, tomatoes, and crimson onions for the very best salad ever.

A close up of broccoli salad in a bowl

Broccoli Salad: That is the very best mixture of creamy and crunchy components. Bonus — it shops effectively for the week!

Southwest chicken salad in a white bowl next to a small bowl of avocado dressing.

Southwest Hen Salad: Grilled cilantro lime hen will get layered with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, beans, corn, and a creamy avocado dressing.

Veggie-Heavy Vegetarian Dinner Concepts

Typically, the very best dinners revolve round plant-based components and a great deal of veggies. Excellent for meatless Monday, or honestly, any day of the week!

Two bowls of lentil soup on a table next to a napkin.

Very Greatest Lentil Soup: A mix of lentils, kale, mirepoix greens, roasted tomatoes, and herbs creates this delightfully filling and flavorful soup.

A stack of zucchini fritters on a plate.

Zucchini Fritters: These crisp and golden fritters are a must-make when it’s zucchini season!

Zucchini noodle caprese is made from my favorite gluten-free pasta alternative, zucchini noodles - and inspired by one of my all time favorite salads, caprese.

Zucchini Noodle Caprese: A simple, home made pesto basil sauce goes far on this salad. Simply toss with tomatoes, mozzarella, and freshly made zucchini noodles.

A plate of falafel drizzled with tahini sauce.

Falafel: these scrumptious balls of chickpea goodness style superb in wraps, pitas, sandwiches and even salads – together with a drizzle of tahini sauce.

A bowl of vegetarian chili next to diced avocado.

Final Vegetarian Chili: this flavorsome, veggie-heavy chili is simply what you want for a filling vegetarian dinner concept. Plus, it’s nice for meal prep.

The Greatest Dinner Meal Prep

To wrap up these dinner concepts, I’m circling again to my meal prep information the place components themselves grow to be the star of the present. As a result of nothing makes us really feel extra on high of our sport than prepping grains, proteins, and veggies to create mix-and-match dinner recipes that come collectively in below 5 minutes!

You can also make macro bowls, wraps, tacos, salads, or a easy combo plate. And don’t neglect sauces and toppings for taste and freshness. Add a dollop of hummus to a Mediterranean bowl or guacamole and creamy salsa to tacos.

Zucchini noodles and cauliflower rice for easy dinner ideas.

Begin with a Base

Lentils and shredded chicken for easy dinner ideas.

Add in Protein

Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes for easy dinner ideas.

Add in Greens

Chickpea salad and carne asada tacos for easy dinner ideas.

Combine and Match Dinner Concepts

Together with your prepped components, right here’s a couple of concepts on find out how to mix them into the BEST dinner recipes!

In case you make any of those straightforward dinner recipes, let me know the way it turned out! I’d love to listen to what you suppose within the feedback beneath. And for extra meal inspiration, try the very best wholesome breakfast concepts!

Chipotle shrimp next to teriyaki chicken for easy dinner ideas.

50+ Greatest Straightforward Dinner Concepts

There are such a lot of choices for flavorful, wholesome, and simple dinner concepts! One in all my favorites is that this Dijon Baked Salmon.

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F. Then place the salmon on a parchment-lined baking tray and set it apart.

  • Combine collectively the remaining components in a small bowl and generously coat the highest of the salmon.

  • Bake the salmon for 18 to twenty minutes (relying on dimension and thickness), then slice it into particular person parts and serve instantly.

Energy: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 28g, Fats: 12g, Saturated Fats: 2g, Ldl cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 203mg, Potassium: 708mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 307IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 1mg

©Downshiftology. Content material and pictures are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is each inspired and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Recipe roundup initially posted December 2020, however up to date to incorporate new recipes.

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