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

30 Easy Dinner Ideas For When You're Not Sure What To Make (21)

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 to make for dinner when unsure? ›

    33 Easy Dinner Ideas For When You're Not Sure What To Make
    • Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken Breast. tasty.co. ...
    • Honey Soy-Glazed Salmon. tasty.co. ...
    • The Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast. tasty.co. ...
    • Chicken & Biscuit Bake. ...
    • One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta. ...
    • Oven-Baked French Bread Pizzas. ...
    • Upgraded Ramen. ...
    • Easiest One-Pot Beef with Broccoli.
    May 16, 2024

    What are 10 good dinner foods? ›

    Our 20 most popular dinners of 2024
    • Air-fryer salmon.
    • Sweet potato & peanut curry.
    • Beef stroganoff.
    • Easy sausage casserole.
    • Chicken & chorizo jambalaya.
    • Lasagne.
    • Easy chicken curry.
    • No-fuss shepherd's pie.
    Mar 14, 2024

    What should I eat if I am unsure? ›

    Pro tip: Keep easy and convenient foods stocked so that your go-to meals are a no-brainer. Foods like nuts, canned meats full of protein, beans, peanut butter, canned veggies, and your favorite protein powder are just a few ideas you can start with!

    What is the most easiest to cook? ›

    17 Of The Easiest Recipes Of All Time (Seriously)
    • 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. ...
    • Wild Rice and Leftover Turkey Soup. ...
    • Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp.
    Jan 2, 2019

    What to make for dinner when you're broke? ›

    68 Easy And Cheap Dinner Ideas That You'll Want To Make On Repeat
    • Buffalo Chickpea Wraps. tasty.co. ...
    • Garlic Veggie Rotini Pasta. tasty.co. ...
    • Chili Lime Baked Tilapia With Avocado Crema. tasty.co. ...
    • Energy-Boosting Buddha Bowl. ...
    • Chicken & Biscuit Bake. ...
    • Pesto Chicken Bake. ...
    • Healthier Veggie Fried Rice. ...
    • Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry.
    May 3, 2024

    What to make for dinner with almost nothing? ›

    These simple dinner ideas use only a handful of ingredients so you can still whip up a meal using whatever you have in the cupboard.
    • 15-ingredient sausage rolls. ...
    • 2Creamy mushroom gnocchi. ...
    • 3Fast falafel bowl. ...
    • 45-ingredient satay beef skewers. ...
    • 55-ingredient meatball carbonara. ...
    • 6Speedy wild rice and salmon salad.

    What to make with very little food? ›

    15 Delicious Things to Throw Together When You're Pressed for Food Options
    • Buttery, gooey grilled cheese.
    • PB&J because duh.
    • Tuna melt tostadas.
    • Pancakes! Pancakes!
    • Scrambled eggs.
    • Waffles.
    • A Hagrid-size bowl of cereal.
    • Spaghetti carbonara.
    Apr 28, 2020

    What to make for dinner when tired? ›

    • 1Creamy chicken and risoni tray bake. ...
    • 2Easy slow-cooker lasagne. ...
    • 3One-pan creamy chicken pesto pasta bake. ...
    • 4Chicken chow mein tray bake. ...
    • 5One-pot creamy chicken ravioli. ...
    • 6One-pan miso chicken drumsticks. ...
    • 7Chicken, chorizo and olive tray bake. ...
    • 8Slow-cooker beef brisket bourguignon.

    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.
    May 6, 2024

    What is a mans favorite dinner? ›

    No two guys are alike, but most share a love for hearty, full-flavored meals. Burgers and pizza. Meals cooked over fire. Meats made with beer.

    What can I cook in 5 minutes? ›

    25 healthy recipes you can cook in 5 minutes or less
    • Pea and broad bean couscous.
    • Fast home-made baked beans.
    • Porridge.
    • Pasta with cherry tomatoes and rocket.
    • Home-made hummus.
    • Smashed avocado and wilted spinach.
    • Cucumber (or potato) raitha.
    • Quick pitta pizzas.

    How to decide what to eat for dinner? ›

    LISTEN TO YOUR GUT FEELING

    Allow yourself to gravitate towards the dishes that instantly have your attention as they scroll by you at the restaurant or online in the restaurant's photo gallery. If not, you can skim through the menu to spot ingredients you love. But remember to always stick with the theme.

    What to make for dinner when you forgot to take something out? ›

    1. Sweet potato, corn and wild salmon fritters. These delicious fritters a sure to be a dinner favourite! ...
    2. Caramelised onion and sweet potato frittata. ...
    3. Veggie bolognese with fresh pappardelle. ...
    4. Spaghetti with tuna and olives. ...
    5. Savoury baked rice. ...
    6. Healthier macaroni cheese. ...
    7. Baked eggs with beans. ...
    8. Hearty vegetable soup.

    What to eat when you don t know what to? ›

    Many of these easy and convenient meal ideas don't even require cooking, or are already done for you!
    • Frozen lasagna.
    • Grilled cheese with frozen french fries/tater tots.
    • Bowl of cereal.
    • Protein bar + a piece of fruit.
    • Canned tuna or salmon + toast/wrap + hummus or mayo + crackers.

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