101 Best Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas for Time-Crunched Weeknights
These 30-minute dinners are just the thing when time is of the essence!
By 
If your weeknights are often so busy you're exhausted even trying to plan dinner (much less get it on the table) let us help.
Instead of relying on unhealthy takeout or tasteless freezer meals, scan these easy family-friendly dinner ideas. With dozens of recipes in our list, you're sure to find something you can make. And these yummy, easy recipes are healthy, and picky-eater approved, as well! Try a few, and we're sure you'll come back for more.
What's YOUR favorite easy dinner? Tell us in the comments, below!
Lasagna Soup
This easy, 25-minute recipe gives you all the flavor of the world's favorite casserole in the world's favorite comfort-food form!
Gnocchi with Creamed Spinach
Got 10 minutes? Besides that, all you need for this 10-minute meal is a pack of gnocchi, frozen spinach, some cream, some cheese, and a few pantry spices.
Serve it with a glass of wine and you've got a fancy dinner for two that tastes like it took a lot more work than it actually did.
Fast Easy Chicken Marsala
If you're looking for ways to make chicken a little less boring, put this recipe in your pocket. The classic creamy, savory sauce is easy to make and so good you'll want to drizzle it over everything.
Migas with Chorizo
There's nothing for a fast dinner like making breakfast for dinner! This recipe goes all out—scrambled eggs with corn tortillas, spicy chorizo, and plenty of toppings—and still takes just 15 minutes to make.
Salmon and Creamed Spinach Fettuccini
This may be one of our favorites. If you're craving a tasty pasta dish that's a little more grown-up than jarred red sauce, give this dish a whirl. We're pretty sure it'll become a regular part of your dinner plans.
Tuna Melt
The underrated tuna melt, that staple of diners and lunch plates everywhere, deserves to be making a big time comeback. First, it's as tasty as can be. Second, it's easy to make, and third, you probably have most of the ingredients in your fridge right now. What are you waiting for?
Easy Weeknight Salisbury Steak
This well-loved dish has been popular for decades—and for good reason: Few simple meals are more satisfying.
Chicken and Veggies Stir Fry
If you're hungry for takeout, skip the wait (and the delivery fee) and just whip this up. It's got an easy sauce made mostly out of pantry ingredients, is packed with fresh veggies, and the whole thing comes together faster than take-out.
Air Fryer Fajitas
These still-sizzling fajitas will be a hit with the whole family. Cooking them in an air fryer makes the whole thing quicker, and cleanup's a breeze: No oil splatters on the stovetop!
Crispy Gnocchi with Sausage and Sage Brown Butter
Keep this four-ingredient dish in your back pocket for whenever you want a simple, filling meal in a flash.
Bagel Pizza
Whether you're feeding kids, or just feeling young at heart, there's no denying that these fast, filling little pizzas are about as satisfying as they get. Plus, we've got a little trick to keep the sauce from spilling everywhere.
Asparagus Frittata
Want a fast dinner that's still a little elegant? Consider a breakfast-for-dinner option! This delicious egg dish pairs well with quick-cooked bacon and a slice of toast. Serve it with a glass of wine!
Air Fryer Salsa Verde Enchilada Pie
An air fryer cuts the bake time for our traditional salsa verde enchiladas down from 20 to just 6 minutes. Store-bought shortcuts like rotisserie chicken make assembling these individual dishes even faster.
Vermouth Air Fried Shrimp
These quick-marinated shrimp cook in just 10 minutes. Serve them on a salad, over pasta, or with some steamed veggies for a light, fast, tasty dinner!
Crispy Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Rosemary
Your whole family will fall in love with these crispy chicken thighs (emphasis on "crispy"). Garlic and rosemary make them as aromatic as they are delicious. Serve with a fresh salad for an extra touch of green.
Stovetop Cheeseburger
You don't need to break out the grill to eat a good burger. And these cook very quickly! There's a reason they're a fast-food staple.
Easy-Peasy Stovetop Mac 'n Cheesy
A can of evaporated milk and fresh shredded cheese makes this no-drain pasta recipe (you read that right) even easier than the boxed stuff! It's tastier, too.
Cornflake Crusted Fish and Chips
Nothing beats fish sticks for that certain kind of kid—but that doesn't mean you need to fill your freezer with boxes of the stuff. This takes just 20 minutes from fridge to plate.
Grain Salad with Trout
A light broil turns trout (or other white fish) into a delicate and tender topper for a tasty grain salad. It's perfect for a quick, filling dinner.
Chicken-and-Spinach Tortellini Soup
Honestly, we could eat this soup for days. It's simple, it's tasty, and it's a great way to stretch a rotisserie chicken!
Get the recipe for Chicken-and-Spinach Tortellini Soup.
RELATED: Check out more inexpensive family-friendly dinner ideas here.
42 Sweet Potato Recipes for Cooking With
30 Summer Crock-Pot Recipes for the Season
35 Easy Summer Campfire Recipes
24 Unfussy Shredded Chicken Recipes
