30 Easy Dinner Ideas For When You're Not Sure What To Make (2024)

Sometimes you just need a go-to easy dinner recipe — one that's perfect for busy nights where you don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, but still want something more substantial than, say, a PB&J.

So we rounded up some of our favorite easy dinner ideas, from customizable personal pizzas to a no-fuss stir-fry. Dinner will be ready in no time!

1. Fajita Parchment-Baked Chicken

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tasty.co

Wrap up a chicken breast and your favorite fajita veggies and seasonings in a parchment packet for fool-proof cooking and easy clean-up. This recipe serves one, but can easily be scaled up to feed a crowd or meal prep for the week.

Recipe: Fajita Parchment-Baked Chicken

2. The Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast

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tasty.co

Let the slow cooker do the work of making dinner while you go about your day. This pot roast is super flavorful, thanks to the addition of a packet of dried onion soup mix. Serve the meat and veggies over egg noodles or rice.

Recipe: The Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast

3. Veggie Garlic Noodles

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tasty.co

Get your veggies in with this delicious and quick noodle stir-fry. Green onions and garlic pack a flavor punch, while the brown sugar and soy tie everything together in a sweet and savory sauce.

Recipe: Veggie Garlic Noodles

4.

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tasty.co

It doesn't get easier than this: store-bought biscuits, frozen mixed veggies, and rotisserie chicken come together in a warming, hearty dish everyone will love.

Recipe:

5. Taco Soup

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tasty.co

Just dump and go with this easy taco soup recipe. Don't forget to dress it up with your favorite toppings!

Recipe: Taco Soup

6. One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

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tasty.co

This easy 30-minute pasta recipe transforms ingredients that you already have in your kitchen into a posh seafood dish you’ll want to serve at your next dinner party. And since the whole dish is made in a single pot, clean-up is easy.

Recipe: One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

7.

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tasty.co

Feel free to change up the protein or vegetables depending on what you have in your fridge. The simple sauce packs a flavor punch that will bring the dish together, no matter what.

Recipe:

8. Oven-Baked French Bread Pizzas

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tasty.co

Pizza night is the best night — especially when everyone gets to build their dream slice. (Or three!)

Recipe: Oven-Baked French Bread Pizzas

9. Easy Butter Chicken

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tasty.co

This simplified version of the Indian classic combines chicken, tomato sauce, and a slew of aromatic spices and herbs — all in one pot, for the simplest cleanup.

Recipe: Easy Butter Chicken

10. Upgraded Ramen

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tasty.co

It takes all of five minutes to fry some bacon + an egg. (Plus some green onions if you're feelin' fancy.)

Recipe: Bacon and Egg Ramen

11. Easy Chicken Alfredo Penne

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tasty.co

When you combine butter, garlic, flour, milk, and Parmesan in just the right way, you get a sauce that you'll want to put on everything.

Recipe: Easy Chicken Alfredo Penne

12.

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tasty.co

The only thing better than one super easy dinner is being able to make *four* of them at once. This handy meal prep version means you can stash a few away for future Hungry You.

Recipe:

foodwithfeeling.com

It's packed with protein and fiber, and you can add toppings — like avocado or sour cream — depending on what's in your fridge.

Recipe: Black Bean-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

14. Easiest One-Pot Beef with Broccoli

30 Easy Dinner Ideas For When You're Not Sure What To Make (14)

damndelicious.net

Chopping the beef into small pieces first means everything cooks through in about five minutes.

Recipe: Easiest One-Pot Beef with Broccoli

15. Instant Pot Veggie-Packed Mac 'n' Cheese

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thekitchn.com

The Instant Pot does all the hard work here — and you'll also get a healthy dose of fresh greens!

Recipe: Instant Pot Veggie-Packed Mac 'n' Cheese

16. Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies

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chelseasmessyapron.com

Line the sheet pan with parchment or foil for the quickest cleanup — then serve over rice, stuffed into a pita, or on its own.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies

minimalistbaker.com

This vegan-friendly version swaps eggs for protein-packed chickpeas, and makes enough for four.

Recipe: Vegan Chickpea Shakshuka

18. Pesto Chicken Bake

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simplysissom.com

Doesn't get much easier than this, TBH.

Recipe: Pesto Chicken Bake

budgetbytes.com

These are super customizable — depending on your time or budget. Either stick to the inexpensive base: tortilla chips, black beans, canned tomatoes, and cheese, or upgrade with the works: jalapeños, pickled onions, sour cream, and anything else you might want.

Recipe: Loaded Sheet Pan Nachos

20. 10-Minute Lemon Garlic Salmon & Asparagus

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gimmedelicious.com

Not an asparagus fan? The simple lemon and garlic sauce would work with whatever greens are in your fridge — like spinach, broccoli florets, or zucchini.

Recipe: One-Pan Lemon Garlic Salmon and Asparagus

21. Protein-Packed Veggie Bowl

tasty.co

This may look involved, but after a bit of prep — crisping chickpeas, roasting sweet potatoes — it's mostly just assembly.

Recipe: Protein-Packed Veggie Bowl

22. Tuna & Avocado Wrap

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eatyourselfskinny.com

Canned tuna gets a quick upgrade with hot sauce, Dijon, and green onions — piled into whole wheat tortillas. (You could also swap in bread, pita pockets, or just eat them as lettuce wraps.)

Recipe: Tuna & Avocado Wrap

24. Teriyaki Chicken & Veggie Foil Packs

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thekitchn.com

You can make these in the oven or on the grill in just about 20 minutes — and thanks to the foil, cleanup is a total breeze.

Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken & Veggie Foil Packets

budgetbytes.com

The trinity of weeknight dinners: fast, cheap, and easy.

Recipe: Bowties & Broccoli

26. Stuffed Bell Pepper Boats

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skinnyms.com

These go from prep to plate in about 20 minutes. Keep the peppers whole, or slice them into bites (or "boats") to turn them into kid-friendly finger food.

Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper Boats

27. Roasted Veggie & Black Bean Tacos

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cookingclassy.com

This budget-friendly version takes pantry staples — like black beans and canned corn — and roasts everything on a sheet pan.

Recipe: Roasted Veggie & Black Bean Tacos

familyfreshmeals.com

Heads up that this one does have to cook for a few hours, so you'll need to plan accordingly. But it's a true drop-and-go dinner — and basically makes itself.

Recipe: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

pinchofyum.com

Better than takeout — and better for you, too. For extra protein and fiber, swap in soba noodles.

Recipe: 15-Minute Lo Mein

30. Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

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fitfoodiefinds.com

The easy sauce — which includes soy sauce, garlic, and ginger — comes together quickly and packs a ton of flavor.

Recipe: Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

What's your go-to easy dinner? Tell us in the comments below!

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    30 Easy Dinner Ideas For When You're Not Sure What To Make (2024)

    FAQs

    What is something easy to make for dinner? ›

    From noodles, stir-fries, soups and salads, you'll find something for everyone.
    • 1Kung pao chicken noodle tray bake. ...
    • 25-ingredient meatball carbonara. ...
    • 310-minute cheat's fried rice. ...
    • 4Easy beef stir-fry. ...
    • 5Easy tuna, sweetcorn and rice slice. ...
    • 6Quick fish finger burgers. ...
    • 7Japanese-style pork and soba noodle stir-fry.

    What to have for dinner when you don't know? ›

    WHAT TO EAT FOR DINNER WHEN YOU LACK INSPIRATION OR DON'T FEEL LIKE EATING
    • Homemade queso + chips.
    • Popcorn. ...
    • Eggs on or with toast.
    • Omelet – very accommodating to whatever you might have in the fridge!
    • Grilled cheese and soup. ...
    • Cereal. ...
    • One skillet meals like rice, chicken and veggies.
    • Pesto pasta.
    May 27, 2020

    What dish is not recommended for supper? ›

    So stay away from refined foods such as pasta, burgers and pizzas for dinner,” adds ​​Dr Marakini. “Starchy foods are made of several glucose molecules, which are attached together in long chains. High starch foods should not be consumed for dinner as they have a high GI and will disturb the blood sugar balance.

    What to eat if you have no idea what to eat? ›

    Food Ideas When You Don't Know What to Eat

    If all else fails, it's usually pasta (made in 10 minutes), tortillas with beans and cheese, breakfast for dinner, or a hearty smoothie.

    What is the easiest thing in the world to cook? ›

    17 Of The Easiest Recipes Of All Time (Seriously)
    • Honey Balsamic Chicken. ...
    • Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps. ...
    • White Bean Soup With Vegetables. ...
    • Smoked Gouda and Mushroom Quesadillas. ...
    • Sheet Pan Lemon Butter Veggies and Sausage. ...
    • Scrambled Egg Tacos. ...
    • 15-Minute Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry. ...
    • One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Artichokes.
    Jan 2, 2019

    What is a good dinner that everyone would like? ›

    30 Quick And Easy Dinners Your Whole Family Will Love
    • Slow-Cooker Chicken Tacos. tasty.co. ...
    • Easy Sheet Pan Southwestern Dinner. tasty.co. ...
    • Garlic Broccoli Shrimp Stir-Fry. ...
    • Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa. ...
    • One-Pot Chicken and Mushroom Pasta. ...
    • 20-Minute Beef and Broccoli Noodle Stir-Fry. ...
    • Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry. ...
    • Baked Spaghetti.

    What are the 5 most popular foods? ›

    popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a american dish. Find out more
    1. 1 Mashed potatoes86%
    2. 2 French Fries86%
    3. 3 Hamburgers85%
    4. 4 Cheeseburger83%
    5. 5 Grilled Cheese82%
    6. 6 Steak and Baked potato82%
    7. 7 Hash browns82%
    8. 8 Fried Chicken82%

    Why is it so hard to decide what to eat? ›

    Too many choices make it hard to decide what you want. A recent study concluded that staring at a menu and yet being unable to decide what food to order results from 'choice overload'. The brain is overwhelmed by the number of similar choices, which makes it difficult to make a decision.

    When you're hungry but don't know what to eat? ›

    If you want something hot, salty, soft, smooth, and bland you might opt for potato soup or a grilled cheese sandwich. Or, if you want something cold, sweet, solid, and crunchy, you might choose an apple or some peanut brittle.

    What to eat when nothing sounds good for ADHD? ›

    A food that has a low GI rating lowers blood sugar levels, decreases cravings, and increases focus. Whole grains, beans, seeds, and most vegetables are good choices.

    What shall I have for dinner tonight? ›

    Simple and easy meals
    • Fish puttanesca.
    • Chicken and mushroom pie.
    • Beetroot falafel pitta with carrot slaw.
    • Creamy squash and sage gnocchi.
    • Mushroom and gnocchi bake.
    • Smoked mackerel with rainbow lentil slaw.
    • Fish puttanesca.
    • Chicken and mushroom pie.

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