Some nights call for nothing more than food that’s easy, filling, and quick to clean up. These 19 dinner recipes were made for the times when you’re too tired to think and just need something that works. No complicated steps, no long grocery lists, and no big mess to handle after. Each one gets a meal on the table fast so you can eat, sit, and call it a night.
Pesto Salmon. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.
Creamy Pea Pasta
Give yourself a break with this easy pasta that brings sweet peas and creamy cheese together in just one pot. It’s fast, filling, and comes together with things you likely already have. Add it to your list of easy dinner recipes for the nights you just need to eat and sit.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Pea Pasta
Canned Chicken Salad
Skip the stove and grab a can of chicken for a meal that’s ready in minutes and works with whatever you’ve got on hand. It’s light but still satisfying, and there’s zero cooking involved. This one is a go-to dinner when you want to eat fast and be done even faster.
Get the Recipe: Canned Chicken Salad
Cacio e Pepe
Stick to the basics with pasta, cheese, and pepper for a meal that feels comforting without any fuss. It’s rich, full of flavor, and ready before you’ve even thought about takeout. Add this to your rotation of easy to make dinner recipes that ask almost nothing from you.
Get the Recipe: Cacio e Pepe
Crockpot Carnitas
Let the slow cooker do the heavy lifting while you go about your day, then come back to pork that’s tender and ready to shred. It’s perfect for tacos, bowls, or buns, and takes barely any hands-on time. When dinner needs to be easy but still taste great, this one delivers.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Carnitas
Tomato Lime Chicken
Give chicken a quick sear and simmer it in a bright, tangy sauce that comes together fast with simple pantry items. It’s fresh, full of flavor, and only takes a few steps from start to finish. Keep this one close for nights when you want a delicious dinner without the stress.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Lime Chicken
Semi-Homemade Chicken Enchiladas
Skip the long prep and use rotisserie chicken for enchiladas that are cheesy, saucy, and ready to go in the oven. They taste like a weekend dish but work perfectly for a low-effort weeknight. This is one of those delicious dinner recipes that makes things easy without cutting corners.
Get the Recipe: Semi-Homemade Chicken Enchiladas
Pesto Salmon
Grab a jar of pesto, spread it on salmon, and let the oven take care of the rest while you rest too. It’s rich, flaky, and looks more effort than it actually is. Try this when dinner needs to feel special but you don’t feel like doing much at all.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Salmon
Slow Cooker Garlic Roast Pork
Toss everything in the slow cooker and let it turn into juicy pork with big garlic flavor and zero stress. It works with any side you’ve got, and leftovers are just as good the next day. Mark this one down for easy dinner recipes that don’t ask much and give a lot.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Garlic Roast Pork
Crockpot Chili
Dump everything in the slow cooker and walk away until dinner smells too good to ignore. This thick, hearty chili needs hardly any attention but brings tons of comfort. It’s the kind of no-fuss meal that’s perfect when all you want is to eat and sit.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Chili
Slow Cooker Thai Pork
Make dinner easy with pork that cooks itself in a sweet and savory sauce while you focus on anything else. It’s great over rice, in wraps, or eaten straight from the bowl. Save this for those nights when you want something warm and filling without the work.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Thai Pork
Honey Glazed Chicken
Get sweet, sticky chicken on the table fast with one pan and a few ingredients you probably already have. The sauce thickens as it simmers and is perfect over rice or noodles. It’s one of those no-stress dinners that feels like you tried when you really didn’t.
Get the Recipe: Honey Glazed Chicken
Thai Chicken Chili
Turn up the flavor without turning up the effort with this spicy, bold chicken dish that cooks in one skillet. It comes together fast with just a few pantry items and doesn’t make a mess. Add this to your list of easy dinner recipes for nights when time is short and you want something good.
Get the Recipe: Thai Chicken Chili
Weeknight Lasagna Roll-Ups
Skip the layers and roll up these cheesy noodles for a dinner that feels comforting but doesn’t take all night. It bakes fast, serves easily, and brings all the lasagna flavor without the work. Make this when you want something hearty but don’t have the energy to do more.
Get the Recipe: Weeknight Lasagna Roll-Ups
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Toss cooked chicken with buffalo sauce, serve it over greens, and call it a meal that’s got crunch, heat, and creamy dressing. It’s filling but light and takes just minutes to pull together. When dinner needs to be fast and still hit the spot, this one makes it happen.
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Salad
Weeknight Carrot Chicken Soup
Simmer carrots, chicken, and broth until they turn into a warm bowl of soup that feels like a break in a bowl. It’s easy to make and works with rice or noodles if you want to bulk it up. Save this recipe for the quiet kind of dinner that doesn’t ask much but still fills you up.
Get the Recipe: Weeknight Carrot Chicken Soup
Tuna and Tomato Pasta
Use a few pantry staples like tuna and tomatoes to make a pasta dinner that’s simple but full of flavor. It cooks in one pot and brings way more to the table than you’d expect. This is one of those no-fuss meals that’s ready fast and worth repeating.
Get the Recipe: Tuna and Tomato Pasta
Simple Pasta with Tomatoes and Ricotta
Stir ricotta into tomato sauce for a pasta that’s creamy, rich, and doesn’t need anything fancy to taste good. It’s filling and familiar, and comes together before you know it. This is a great dinner recipe for the nights when the easiest thing is the right thing.
Get the Recipe: Simple Pasta with Tomatoes and Ricotta
Italian Meatball Soup
Mix meatballs, pasta, and veggies in one pot for a soup that’s fast, hearty, and full of flavor. It doesn’t take much time or effort, but it still feels like real comfort food. Make it on the nights when you need something warm that doesn’t wear you out.
Get the Recipe: Italian Meatball Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Toss the ingredients into the Instant Pot and let it take care of everything while you take a break. This soup is full of spice, beans, and tender chicken without needing much help from you. Keep this one around for easy dinner recipes that feel like more than the work they take.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup