34 Truly Easy Dinner Recipes
Inside: An ever-growing collection of actually easy dinner recipes for those days where you just can’t …but you have to. Save this list for a lazy day when even hunting down a recipe for dinner feels like too much. Next to each, I’ve written some ideas of what to serve as sides.
What makes a dinner easy, really? It’s not the time it takes… a slow cooker recipe could be 8 hours of cooking but still be easy. It’s also not the amount of ingredients. Opening 7 cans instead of 3 is no big deal.
Really, an easy recipe means easy prep, and it’s better to think of what it shouldn’t be. No dicing chicken into cubes. No chopping onions and peppers and garlic. (Pick one!) But above all, zero tolerance for mutiple pots and pans. We just can’t have it.
Soy Chicken Thighs
We serve this with steamed white rice and broccoli. Sometimes frozen egg rolls too.
Monterey Chicken
Make someone else chop the tomatoes and get the bacon ready. Serve with steamed broccoli and some rolls that you made on a day with more energy and put in the freezer for later.
Party Sub Sandwiches (Easy + Make Ahead)
Make this ahead of time and serve it with a lovely bag of chips and some apple slices..
One-Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
A super easy favorite. Truly one pot! Salad and bread makes it a complete meal.
Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin (Honey Balsamic Glaze)
Juicy, flavorful, and with a perfect browned crust. I like to serve this over buttered noodles and make any green veggies.
Cast Iron Skillet Burgers
Ask someone else to chop the toppings, the hardest part of making burgers. And make some frozen curly fries.
Oven-Baked Chicken Wings
You can make these with other homemade appetizers, or you can, um, make a frozen pizza. They’re not spicy but still delicious.
Creamy Ham Mac and Cheese
I always make these with raw broccoli and I’m not sure why. Also nice soft rolls from the freezer. Very cozy.
Chili Hash Brown Casserole
My whole family loves this one. It’s one of the easiest casseroles because there’s nothing to chop!
Rigatoni Al Forno
You don’t need a side! It’s super hearty and filling. Garlic bread. From the freezer. You got this.
Cheesy Ground Beef and Tomato Pasta Skillet
One pan, thirty minutes, no chopping, and kids WILL eat it. Salad and garlic bread is all you need.
Cast Iron Skillet Fried Rice
It’s super easy, even if you add meat. I recommend shrimp because chopping chicken is not allowed on this list. Frozen spring rolls and fresh broccoli are great additions.
Cast Iron Skillet Shrimp Fajitas
To make this easier, you can skip the chipotle crema. Store-bought pico is a great topping, and you can serve the rest with chips..
Cast Iron Skillet Nachos
Your trusty skillet takes these nachos from stovetop to oven to table. I make half with allllll my favorite toppings, and half plain with just meat and cheese for my weird children.
Easy Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops
Very easy. I pair these with nicer sides, but they would also be good with simple sides like baked potatoes and green beans.
Crockpot Ranch Chicken and Potatoes
This is one of the easiest dinners you’ll ever make. There are seasoning packets–don’t freak out. I consider this a complete meal, but you might want to throw in a salad or fruit.
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
Easy! You can even add ground sausage or ground beef without too much effort. Pair with frozen garlic bread. Skip the salad, it’s too cold out.
One-Pan Chicken Marsala
This one is good—good enough for a fancy-ish meal. Serve with cooked fettuccine and (ahem) bagged Caesar salad. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Quick Hot Dog Chili
I am honestly confused every time I serve them because of how much everyone loves them. It feels like cheating like I’m serving boxed mac and cheese or something, but everyone flips for them. Serve with fresh fruit and (yes) chips.
Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks
These do have a few steps, but I’ll allow it because none of them are hard, and you’re chopping absolutely nothing. Serve with corn on the cob and baked beans. (Use store-bought barbecue sauce on a lazy day, of course.).
Sausage and Zucchini Skillet
I almost didn’t include this one because we’re chopping quite a few veggies. But! Slicing up smoked sausage is so easy I decided it could stay. I would be fine serving this with fresh fruit and nothing else.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Using canned soup to make homemade soup? Yes. It’s easy and delicious. Serve it with grilled cheese. Or a plate of cheese and crackers.
Crispy Baked Beef Chimichangas
Serve this with chips and guac and some Mexican rice. I always make Mexican rice by cooking yellow rice in my rice cooker with some turmeric, onion powder, and garlic powder. I’m fairly certain this is not very authentic.
Flank Steak Tacos
These cook quickly under the broiler, making them to quick to get on the table after marinating. Serve with chips and (store bought or made by a helper) pico de Gallo.
Chili Cornbread Casserole
It’s easier than it looks! You make a simple chili, layer cornbread batter on top, and bake the whole thing together. It’s so good. Serve with a salad and you’re done.
Remember, the best dinners are usually the ones where you’re not stressing in the kitchen. They’re the ones where you can actually sit down and enjoy your family.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.