50 Dinner Ideas When There’s No Time to Cook

These 50 easy and delicious dinner ideas are the perfect dinner recipes to make any time you ask yourself, “What should I make for dinner tonight?”

50 Easy Dinner Ideas

Why is it figuring out tonight’s dinner can be one of the biggest challenges of the day? No more! The next time you find yourself limited on time and asking yourself, “What should we eat for dinner tonight?,” just look to this list of dinner ideas.

These all-in-one dinner ideas are ready to swoop in and save the day. Some are cooked on a sheet pan, made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, or made in just one pot or skillet. And most all of these dinner ideas require 10 minutes of prep (yay less dishes) and are ready in 40 minutes or less!

This dinner ideas recipe list provides the time Ito bust the boring dinner rut and slay busy weeknights by showing who’s the dinnertime boss now.

Pasta Dinner Ideas

1. Spaghetti alla Carbonara

The simplicity in this creamy sauced spaghetti pasta is thanks to just 4 ingredients (that you likely already have on hand), and a hearty dose of black pepper. Bonus? You can whip it up in just 20 minutes.

2. Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni

Call it what you want — cheeseburger macaroni, homemade Hamburger Helper, or hamburger mac and cheese. Whatever this recipe is, forget the box and make it from scratch, because it’s delicious and it can be on your table in 30 minutes flat.

3. Chicken Piccata Pasta

This chicken piccata pasta’s lemony white wine, butter and caper sauce makes a light and snappy coating for linguine with tomato bursts and mushrooms for an easy pasta dinner that won’t weigh you down.

4. Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Peas

This healthy recipe for pasta with turkey sausage and peas makes a fast Italian skillet dinner for any night of the week.

5. Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo (or Stovetop)

This kid-friendly, comfort food classic is a super convenient, one-pot meal made even faster in the pressure cooker (or on the stovetop).

6. Pasta Puttanesca

Puttanesca is an Italian classic that takes basic pantry staples and transforms them into a light but full-bodied sauce over spaghetti or penne in mere minutes.

7. One-Pot Penne Pasta with Ground Turkey and Spinach

Looking for an easy ground turkey recipe? This one-pot pasta comes together in just 30 minutes and is packed with good-for-you ingredients like spinach, tomatoes, and ground turkey.

8. Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli with Whole Wheat Pasta

A hint of stone ground mustard gives a bit of unexpected tanginess to creamy melted cheese mixed into whole wheat pasta, broccoli florets, and shredded chicken.

9. Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce

This simple tomato sauce gets tons of flavor from herbs steeped in olive oil that lusciously coats potato pillows of gnocchi, topped with fresh balls of mozzarella.

Soup Dinner Ideas

10. Easy Taco Soup

This easy taco soup recipe can be made in 30 minutes on the stove top, Instant Pot, or slow cooked in the Crock Pot for a healthy Mexican-inspired, make-ahead, one-bowl meal.

11. Creamy Bean Soup with Sausage

This comforting and hearty creamy bean soup with kielbasa sausage goes from cutting board to soup bowl in about half an hour.

12. Beef Stew with Butternut Squash (Instant Pot, Stovetop or Slow Cooker)

Tender chuck roast beef pairs with classic stew vegetables plus butternut squash for extra nutrition in this velvety sauced stew with instructions for making in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop.

13. Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Thanks to the Instant Pot pressure cooker, this easy chicken with wild rice soup is rich, creamy (without any added cream), and fast to make, and it tastes even better the next day, making it a great addition to your meal prep plans.

14. Sausage and Gnocchi Soup

This easy gnocchi soup calls for canned tomatoes, packaged gnocchi, and sausage with Italian flavors for a favorite, weeknight-friendly soup you’ll be making for years to come.

15. Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup

This creamy and cheesy potato soup with broccoli comes together quickly for a crowd-pleasing weeknight meal that everyone will love.

16. Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato & Quinoa

When there’s no time to cook, let the slow cooker do it for you! With a little planning ahead at night or in the morning, this healthy and cozy chili practically cooks itself.

Asian Recipe Ideas

17. Instant Pot Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These better-than-P.F. Chang’s orange chicken lettuce wraps recipe is incredibly easy to make and does double duty as a self-serve, low-carb appetizer or as a healthy main meal that’s quick to make and even more fun to eat.

18. Ramen Noodles with Marinated Steak and Broccoli

Ramen noodles aren’t just for soup anymore. Here’s how to hack every college student’s favorite noodle recipe and give it an instant upgrade by turning it into an easy and healthy weeknight meal ready in just 30 minutes or less.

19. Sesame Shrimp with Asian Greens Rice Bowl

I could honestly eat this quick and healthy dish on a weekly basis and not tire of it. It features shrimp seasoned in sesame flavors and then stir-fried with rainbow Swiss chard, spinach, edamame, and green onions, served over brown rice and it just always hits the spot.

20. Thai Chicken Coconut and Rice

This easy Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice dinner has just the right amount of spice from jalapeño and ginger to flavor this creamy coconut sauce for a simple all-in-one meal.

21. Beef with Broccoli

This incredibly easy but incredibly flavorful recipe for one of the most popular Chinese dishes can easily be made gluten-free or traditional style.

22. Shrimp in Thai Coconut Curry Sauce

Coconut milk flavored with peanut butter and red curry paste makes a classic Thai-inspired, creamy-sweet sauce with just the right amount of heat. When tossed with shrimp and bell peppers, it makes for an easy dinner that’s on your table in 30 minutes.

23. Healthier Sweet and Sour Pork

This version of the classic Chinese takeout dish is made healthier thanks to sautéed lean pork tenderloin instead of deep-fried, and a master stir fry sauce sweetened with balsamic vinegar and honey.

Mexican Dinner Ideas

24. Chipotle Lime Shrimp Bowls

Quick, easy, healthy, and totally flavorful, these chipotle lime shrimp bowls with brown rice, black beans, tomatoes and avocado have just the right level of adobo spice with a touch of honey.

25. Just Like Taco Bell Tacos

Forget the drive-thru, this is how to make a beef tacos recipe that tastes just like Taco Bell tacos for an easy Taco Tuesday dinner at home any night of the week.

26. Chicken Fajita Foil Packet Dinners

Quick and easy to prep, these chicken fajita foil packet dinners with a simple homemade fajita seasoning mix are cooked on the grill or in the oven and ready to eat in just about 30 minutes.

27. Breakfast Tacos

If you aren’t having breakfast for dinner at least once in a while, you’re totally missing out. I could eat these breakfast tacos any time of day.

28. One-Pot Mexican Shrimp with Orzo and Zucchini

This easy, flavor-packed shrimp, zucchini, and orzo pasta recipe is an oldie but a goodie. It’s also a one-pot pasta and a 30-minute meal, so what more could you want on a busy weeknight?

29. Easy Shredded Chicken and Zucchini Tacos

Easy shredded chicken tacos get a healthy veggie upgrade when diced zucchini is added in for a fast dinner any day of the week.

Pork Dinner Ideas

30. Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad

A fresh and flavorful Mediterranean tomato salad serves as a salsa when it tops juicy grilled pork chops for a 30-minute, quick and easy dinner.

31. 30 Minute Pork Scallopini with Lemons and Capers

Tart lemons and briny capers give this sauce its signature taste over lightly fried, boneless pork cutlets for an easy Italian dinner that’s on the table in just 30 minutes.

32. My Grandma’s Easy German Schnitzel

I’m always excited about dinner when schnitzel’s on the menu! My Grandma’s authentic recipe is a classic.

33. 30-Minute Garlic and Herb Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

Fast dinners don’t come together much quicker than this garlic and herb rubbed pork tenderloin recipe that’s seared on the stove then finished in the oven for a lean and juicy main dish cooked in just 30 minutes.

Seafood Dinner Ideas

34. Sheet Pan Mustard Roasted Salmon with Vegetables

A tangy mustard sauce flavors this sheet-pan baked salmon recipe with caramelized asparagus and potatoes for a super simple dinner with minimal clean-up.

35. Citrus Shrimp and Avocado Salad

This simple but totally delicious salad features pan-seared citrus-flavored shrimp, creamy avocado, and the crunch of sliced almonds for amazing textures and flavors.

36. Broiled Miso Cod with Vegetables

This sheet-pan dinner couldn’t be easier. Simply marinade the fish in a simple miso sauce then place in the oven for a fast and favorite meal.

37. Baked Salmon with Creme Fraiche

Salmon recipes can be cooked many ways, but in my book, there’s nothing as easy as oven baked salmon in white wine and lemon for a healthy dinner, or to make and use for meal prep all week long.

Vegetarian Dinner Ideas

38. Chana Masala with Spinach

This chana masala chickpea stew gets an added vegetarian boost with spinach added to the earthy, Indian-spiced tomato curry sauce.

39. Teriyaki Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry

This plant-based stir-fry is not only super healthy, it’s incredibly easy to throw together

40. Pasta Pomodoro

Light and easy to make with fresh tomatoes, this simple Southern Italian tomato sauce takes just 20 minutes to make and is a terrific base for many Italian dishes.

41. Greek Chickpea Salad

Classic Mediterranean flavors are what make up this easy, no-cook Greek chickpea salad with fresh veg, heart-healthy fats, and bright herbs.

Chicken Dinner Ideas

42. Easy Chicken Marsala

Just add a side salad to this dish of golden brown chicken breasts with mushrooms and shallots in a lush, sweet and savory Marsala wine sauce makes THE BEST easy, 30-minute classic chicken skillet dinner.

43. Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons

This delicious sautéed chicken gets its briny bite from olives and capers, and charred lemon slices add a bright and smoky flavor that’s to die for, and it’s ready in under 30 minutes.

44. Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Bowls

Chicken quinoa bowls have staked their healthy claim on quick and easy meal-prep dinners that are flexible enough to mix and match ingredients for take-to-work lunches that never get boring, too.

45. Easy Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken with Vegetables

Traditional tandoori chicken is made in a clay oven, but this version of the classic Indian chicken dinner is baked on a sheet pan with Indian spiced vegetables for a complete meal any night of the week.

46. One Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice

This creamy chicken and rice casserole is a fast and healthy 30-minute meal made right on the stove top, making it a favorite one-pot dinner that feeds a family of four for under $10.

47. Lemon Chicken Thighs with Artichokes

This lemon chicken recipe makes juicy, bone-in chicken thighs with the Mediterranean flavors of white wine and artichokes for an easy chicken dinner ready in 30 minutes.

48. Baked Chicken Parmesan

Skip the skillet and make this healthy baked chicken parmesan dinner with marinara and melty cheese on a sheet pan instead. Tip: To really make it a meal, add some broccoli or broccolini to your sheet pan to roast alongside the chicken.

49. Easy Chicken Piccata

This easy chicken piccata recipe’s lemon-caper sauce is an Italian classic that can be made in just 20 minutes, making it everyone’s favorite dinner.

50. 30-Minute Caprese Chicken

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this beautiful and easy chicken. Serve over pasta, salad, or alongside your favorite veggies, and pretend it’s summer all year-long!

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

More Dinner Ideas

• 20 One-Pot Wonder Meals—They’re What’s for Dinner
• 25 Great Ground Beef Recipes
• 30 Easy Comfort Food Casseroles
• 31 Quick Dinner Ideas for Easy Summer Nights
• 50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes

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