24 Fun Weeknight Dinner Ideas (+ Easy Recipes)

Looking for easy weeknight dinners to add to your meal routine? You’ve come to the right place.

Having to prepare dinner every single day can be a real chore, especially the part about figuring out what to cook!

It’s time to add excitement to your dinner table, and these dishes will do exactly that.

Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Fun, creative, and mouth-watering, these meals are a guaranteed hit. They’re insanely easy to make, too! Don’t worry, you need not be a culinary expert to whip up gastronomic dishes.

So, what are you waiting for? Surprise your family with these easy weeknight dinners that are sure to blow their taste buds away!

1. Taco Pie

Treat your family to a Mexican feast by serving this easy-peasy taco pie!

It’s made with perfectly seasoned ground beef underneath a bed of a creamy, cheesy topping that’s baked to perfection. How can you go wrong with that?

Apart from being rich and flavorful, this taco pie is also a cinch to make! All it takes are basic pantry ingredients and 15 minutes of hands-on prep. 

You can serve the pie as is, or go the extra mile by topping it with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. 

2. Beef Stir-fry

Stir-fry is a popular Asian dish that I thought I could only enjoy at a restaurant. As it turns out, it’s very simple and can be made at home!

Don’t be intimidated by all the ingredients. This recipe only takes 21 minutes to cook!

Another thing I love about stir-fry is that it’s easily customizable. Just stick to the basic formula of protein, veggies, and sauce, and you can’t go wrong.

This recipe calls for flank steak, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, and onions. For the sauce, it’s just a simple thickened beef broth flavored with soy sauce and red pepper flakes.

But can you imagine all those colors and flavors? Pair this stir-fry with rice for a tasty and hearty meal!

3. Asian Weeknight Noodle Bowls

Here’s another fantastic Asian treat for you! These noodle bowls are scrumptious, hearty, and only require 30 minutes to make.

Rice noodles, zucchini, onions, garlic, peanuts, and eggs are swimming in a sauce packed with flavor. It’s like a hybrid of Pad Thai and lo mein, and it’s amazing.

Trust me when I say that one bowl is not enough! These noodles are seriously addictive. 

What makes this dish extra special is the sauce. Flavored with brown sugar, chili, garlic, ginger, and cilantro, each slurp is a wonderful explosion in your mouth!

4. Skillet Sausage and Rice

This skillet sausage and rice is the perfect way to feed a hungry crowd.

Italian sausage, bell peppers, onions, and rice make for a winning combination of flavors. The vibrant colors make the dish extra appetizing, to boot.

Plus, this dish comes together in as fast as 30 minutes. It’s hearty, delicious, and easy to make.

5. Weeknight Thai Beef

Give your weeknight dinner an Asian flair with this scrumptious Thai beef.

Beef and broccoli are coated in a thick and creamy sauce of coconut milk and curry. This dish is love at first bite!

Not only is this dish drool-worthy, but it’s also gluten-free!

It also comes together in just 30 minutes.

6. Chicken Salad

Want something light and healthy? Say no more! This chicken salad is all you need.

Chicken, celery, grapes, and almonds are coated in a ridiculously creamy dressing. The textures, the flavors, the colors! Even salad haters won’t be able to resist this.

It’s such a cinch to prepare, too. With the help of the good-old rotisserie chicken, this dish requires zero cooking! Just toss the ingredients together, and voila! It’s done in 15 minutes.

You can serve this salad as is or use it as a sandwich filling! Either way, you’ll have an unforgettable meal.

7. Mexican Flatbread

Pizza that’s done in 30 minutes?! This Mexican flatbread is the stuff of dreams!

The thin flatbread crust is loaded with taco meat, refried beans, tomatoes, onions, cheese, avocado, and salsa.

Wow. Just writing all that made me drool. Picture yourself biting into all of that goodness, and I’m sure you will, too!

Because you’ll use pre-made flatbread crusts, these pizzas come together in just 30 minutes. The dough might not be as good as homemade, but it tastes amazing.

8. Taco Soup

This is everything you love in a taco in one spectacular soup! 

Perfectly seasoned ground beef, beans, and veggies simmering in a rich broth? This soup is a feast for the eyes and the mouth.

You need not even pair this soup with anything. It’s sure to satisfy the body and soul. I can’t think of a better way to warm up on a chilly night. 

9. Cheeseburger Pie

This cheeseburger pie is comfort food at its best. 

As if cheeseburger isn’t perfect enough as it is, it’s taken to a whole other level by transforming it into a pie! It’s a sinful treat that’s sure to please both the kids and kids-at-heart.

This quiche-like dish is loaded with ground beef and cheese. It’s baked to perfection, giving it that crispy golden crust.

Thanks to Bisquick, this rich pie comes together in no time. Just 40 minutes, and dinner is served.

10. Chicken Enchiladas

Shredded chicken and cheese are stuffed inside a tender tortilla, smothered with enchilada sauce, and sprinkled with even more cheese. 

These chicken enchiladas are guaranteed to be your new favorite!

The key is in the sauce. Flavored with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano, it’s the most drool-worthy sauce ever to blanket enchiladas.

If you think they’re tedious to make, think again. These chicken enchiladas will only take 30 minutes to prep and cook! 

11. Tuscan Ravioli Soup

Tuscan ravioli soup sounds so hoity-toity, but trust me, it’s super quick and easy!

Take your family on a trip to Italy with this creamy and cheesy soup! It’s made with cheese-stuffed ravioli, Italian sausage, and spinach swimming in a thick tomato broth.

This soup is a certified crowd-pleaser.

It’s rich, meaty, cheesy, hearty, and everything you can ask for in a soup! Best of all, it is easy to make and only takes 30 minutes.

12. Fried Rice Vermicelli 

Fried rice vermicelli is an innovative Asian dish that will absolutely knock your socks off.

Vermicelli noodles are more commonly known as rice noodles or rice sticks. They’re super thin, almost transparent noodles used widely in Asian countries.

This dish is made with stir-fried Vermicelli noodles, chicken, bean sprouts, and scallions. It’s simple, but it sure hits the spot. 

And it’s healthy, too! A fantastic, guilt-free way to fill your belly!

13. Toad in the Hole

Its name might not be appetizing, but it’s definitely mouth-watering!

Toad in the hole is a classic English dish made with pork sausages in a Yorkshire pudding. Topped with a rich gravy, it’s a super savory and satisfying dish.

Wondering how on earth it got its unusual name? Just look at it! The sausages peeping through the pudding resemble toads poking their heads out.

14. Easy Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger in soup form? This is madness, and I love it!

This cheeseburger soup is the ultimate comfort food. One spoonful will warm your tummy, heart, and soul. It’s perfect for cold, rainy evenings!

I can’t even express how happy this soup makes me.

It’s loaded with ground beef, potatoes, and cheese, and is topped with bacon, croutons, and parsley.

The combination of velvety soup, tender potatoes, and crisp toppings is absolutely to die for.

15. Easy Turkey Burgers

Who says burgers have to be sinful? These turkey burgers will give you ultimate satisfaction, minus the guilt.

Leaner and healthier than beef, turkey makes a fantastic alternative for health buffs and weight watchers. But don’t worry, these burgers are just as juicy and flavorful as your favorite beefy dish. 

Flavored with Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and mustard, these burgers are so good, you won’t even miss the beef!

16. Shrimp and Pineapple Stir-fry

Spice up your weeknight dinners with this tropical stir-fry.

This heavenly delight is loaded with carrots, bell pepper, bok choy, asparagus, and sugar snap peas. Simmered in a thick pineapple and soy sauce, this dish is delicious. 

Just look at the lovely colors! This stir-fry is not just tasty, but also Instagram-worthy. 

It might seem like a complicated dish to make, but stir-fries are 100% newbie-friendly.

17. No Peek Chicken

Weeknight dinners don’t get any easier than this! Five ingredients and 10 minutes of prep make for one lip-smacking dish.

This no-peek chicken is the easiest way to win anyone’s heart over.

Made with rice, mushroom soup, celery soup, and chicken, this dinner is insanely addictive! Even picky eaters can’t say no to this.

You’ll want to make a huge batch because it will disappear in minutes.

All you need is to combine all the ingredients, and the oven will do the rest.

18. Fettuccine Alfredo

Want to impress the kids? Let this fettuccine Alfredo do its magic.

Al dente pasta swimming in a thick, creamy, and cheesy sauce? It’s a simple formula, but it works. On everybody!

Flavored with parmesan cheese and garlic, this alfredo sauce can rival that of any restaurant.

It’s such a breeze to make, too! Just 15 minutes, and you’re done. I’m telling you, once you’ve tried this sauce, you’ll never go back to the jar.

19. Steak Fajita Bowls

Colorful fajitas in rice bowl form? I’ll have 3 servings, please.

These are not your typical fajitas. Super tender and juicy steak are mixed with colorful sauteed veggies resting on a bed of Spanish rice.

Oh my goodness, this is one heavenly bowl.

It’s such an easy and versatile dish, to boot! You can use all the veggies you want and add all your favorite Mexican toppings. 

20. Muffin Tin Lasagna

Lasagna is one of the best Italian dishes known to man. But it’s also one of the most tedious things to make. I have the perfect solution for you.

This muffin tin lasagna gives you all the goodness of the classic comfort food, minus the effort and the guilt.

This innovative dish uses wonton wrappers instead of pasta, turkey instead of beef, and ricotta instead of bechamel sauce.

This dish is ultra-meaty, creamy, and cheesy! It may not be the same as the traditional lasagna, but it’s the next best thing.

Need Even More Weeknight Dinners? We’ve Got You Covered!

21. Easy Black Bean Chili

Chili is a fool-proof way to turn any frown upside down. It takes hours to prepare, though.

Thankfully, this version only takes 20 minutes of hands-on prep. The rest is up to the oven.

Black beans and ground beef are seasoned with cumin and chili powder in a thick tomato-based soup. Just the thought of this chili already warms my heart.

Serve this on game day or on a chilly night for a soul-satisfying treat.

22. Easy Italian Grilled Cheese

It’s the beloved grilled cheese, done the Italian way!

While there’s nothing wrong with a classic American grilled cheese, it’s nice to switch things up from time to time.

This Italian grilled cheese is not just loaded with cheese, but a sweet and tangy marinara sauce as well! It’s also the easiest thing ever!

Just 15 minutes and dinner is served.

23. Maple Sesame Salmon

Rich and fatty salmon with sesame oil and maple syrup? What an interesting way to flavor the classic protein!

This recipe requires very few ingredients and prep time, yet it yields the most spectacular dish!

Just marinate your fish in a mixture of maple syrup, sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic, and bake!

The same marinade is used to make a sweet glaze, giving your salmon another layer of flavor.

24. Easy Chicken Tostadas

Rotisserie chicken, guacamole, and salsa are put on top of a crispy corn tortilla. These tostadas deserve a standing ovation.

Just imagine all of those bright flavors and contrasting textures! One bite will take you to Mexican paradise.

Because you’ll use rotisserie chicken, these tostadas could not be easier to make. There’s no cooking required at all! Dinner is served in just a few minutes.