15 Easy Weeknight Dinners

First up in our easy weeknight dinners: chickpea curry! This one is literally designed for weeknights and comes together in just 20 minutes. It's seriously flavorful, filled with ginger, garlic, cumin and curry powder, with a little coconut milk swirled in to make it creamy. Serve with basmati rice (or Instant Pot rice).

Some weeknight dinners stand a head above the rest, and this is one of them. Try this cheese tortellini in creamy marinara sauce! In just 15 minutes, you’ve got a pasta skillet that’s a literal symphony flavor. The fresh basil-infused marinara sauce is perfectly complimented with pillows of tangy goat cheese. (In fact, it’s like this baked goat cheese dip made into a main dish.)

Here's the fastest easy weeknight dinner EVER: these Epic 5 Minute Tacos! Is it really possible to make dinner in 5 minutes? Yes. These tacos are filled with our famous "chorizo eggs", which turn eggs into a meaty texture and flavor in a flash. Top with salsa fresca, red onion slivers, cilantro & hot sauce, and prepare to be amazed. It's kind of a miracle, making it fitting for the top spot in our easy weeknight dinners.

Also try: Easy Black Bean Tacos

Here’s a genius trick that makes an easy weeknight dinner with no cooking required. That’s right, no need to grab your pan and spatula. Try this Smoked Salmon Salad! It’s healthy, fresh, and 100% cook free. Imagine: savory smoked salmon, fresh greens, fluffy goat cheese dollops and a tangy shallot vinaigrette. It comes together in 15 minutes flat.

Here’s a quick weeknight dinner idea that’s always satisfying and works for nearly every diet. That’s right, the good old Burrito Bowl! Throw rice, veggies, and burrito fillings in a bowl and call it meal! Here’s the thing: a good burrito bowl can actually take a while to make at home with all the components. Use packaged pre-cooked rice: there are a few brands on the market (like Seeds of Change).

Salmon is so quick to prepare and full of nutrients that it often features in our top picks for easy weeknight meals. This 10-minute baked salmon recipe makes for an ultra quick dinner. You can eat it on its own, or pair it with our bright green chimichurri sauce. For a seriously quick dinner, serve with quinoa, couscous, or roasted brocolli.

This 20-minute creamy goat cheese pasta is so tangy and creamy, sweet from the tomatoes and lightly peppery from the fresh basil. The secret to the creaminess is that goat cheese, which brings a body to the sauce that’s almost like a vodka sauce. Combined with chewy penne, it’s out of this world! Best of all, you barely have to think to make it.

Also try: Creamy Instant Pot Pasta

This recipe makes the humble solo meal into a delicious weeknight dinner, resulting in a big batch all at once on a sheet pan! All the quesadillas are done at the same time, and they come out with a beautifully crispy exterior. In fact, it feels like a whole new version of this classic: like Quesadillas 2.0. Here's how to whip up a pan of baked sheet pan quesadillas that are so good, everyone will be begging for more.

The our ultimate fast and easy dinner recipe: Naan Pizza! Get this: it’s faster than delivery pizza, healthier, and it tastes better. So why order out when you can make tasty pizza in? Packaged naan bread is easy to find these days, making it easy to run to the store on a naan pizza run. You’ll never need delivery or frozen pizza again! 

Is there anything better than shrimp tacos? Combine shrimp tacos with chips and salsa, and maybe some refried beans on the side, we can’t think of much better. What we love about this shrimp tacos recipe is that it’s both an easy weeknight dinner and perfect for entertaining, making it a double whammy. 

Instead of simmering for hours, you can get big flavor in this tortilla soup in just over 30 minutes. The secret here is adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chilis: it brings in a smoky flavor without adding too much heat! It’s not too spicy, so it pleases eaters of all kind and qualifies as one of our easy weeknight dinner recipes. Serve with our Easy Vegan Cornbread for a simple side.

Here’s a fun way to cook shrimp without all the hassle of a shrimp boil: try Old Bay Steamed Shrimp! Truth be told, this method is a combination of boiling and steaming: but it results in beautifully succulent, seasoned shrimp. Get this: the cook time is only 2 to 3 minutes! This easy preparation is fun to do and results in a seriously easy dinner recipe. Pair it with cornbread and sauteed peppers and you’ve got a meal!

And last up in our easy weeknight dinners: who doesn’t love a good grilled cheese sandwich? Here’s one with a glamorous twist: the avocado grilled cheese. Simply adding an avocado and tomato to a standard grilled cheese makes it fit for serving to company! Although it’s a simple dish, grilled cheese can be gussied up as much or as little as you like. 

Can you have too many chili recipes? We think not. Introducing our new favorite easy spin…this Black Bean Chili! It’s beyond simple to make, and the flavor is outstanding. (We hope you’ll agree.) It’s got a hint of smokiness to highlight the tangy tomatoes and savory black beans. Top it with your favorite toppings, and it’s so hearty and savory, you’ll forget it’s healthy, too.

Here's an easy weeknight dinner that pleases everyone: baked salmon and asparagus! It’s simple, it’s elegant, but it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant. Roasting it up on a sheet pan with lemon slices and fresh herbs adds effortless flavor that feels fresh yet refined.