35 Quick & Easy Weeknight Dinners

Time is precious, especially on busy weeknights. Whether you’re driving to soccer practice and figuring out algebra homework or picking up the dry cleaning and running errands, there’s little time left in the evenings to cook a full, nutritious meal. So how’s someone with a jam-packed schedule and a to-do list a mile long to get dinner on the table without resorting to unhealthy options like take-out or fast food? We’ve got 35 delicious solutions for you! Below you’ll find quick, easy weeknight meals to help make dinner prep as stress-free as possible, from family-sized, slow-cooked meals to 20- and 30-minute dishes that can be frozen and reheated throughout the week.

1/35: One-Skillet Chicken & Garlic-Lime Broccolini

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Got a skillet? Then cook up these juicy chicken breasts and healthy broccolini. This gluten-free recipe serves 2, so be sure to double or triple if you’re feeding a group. Get the easy recipe >

2/35: One-Pot Vegan Pasta Alfredo with Mushrooms

Prep time (without coconut sauce): >5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

With cooking comes cleaning, but this vegan and gluten-free meal makes cleanup a breeze! Prep the coconut pasta sauce the day before or swap in your favorite creamy sauce instead. You’ve got nothing to be alfredo of >

3/35: Chickpea Stew with Tomato, Kale & Lemon

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

When you’d rather cozy up with your kids and read one of their favorite books or watch one of their favorite movies instead of cook, whip up this plant-based, soul-nourishing dish. Cozy up >

4/35: Baked Lemon-Sage Tilapia 

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Maybe not everyone in your household loves seafood, but mildly-flavored tilapia is the perfect option for those who “don’t like fish.” Serve with a fresh greens salad for a quick-and-healthy dinner. “Sea” the food and eat the food >

5/35: Vegan Pizza 

Prep time: 5 minutes (prep while pizza crust bakes to reduce time)
Cook time: 20 minutes

Put away the restaurant menu and pull out your apron; it’s pizza time! You’ll bring a smile to everyone’s lips with this veggie-packed pie. It’s not delivery; it’s homemade >

6/35: Butternut Squash Soup with Chickpea Fusilli 

Prep time: >5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

This recipe takes quick-and-convenient meals up a notch. Quick-cooking chickpea pasta, fresh veggies and spices are mixed into premade butternut squash soup for meal that balances time and health. Stock your pantry >

7/35: Crockpot Chicken Soup

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 6 hours

Slow cookers to the rescue! With chicken, veggies and spices simmering together in a big pot while you’re out and about, this simple, effortless recipe might just be the least complicated part of your day. It’s NOT complicated >

8/35: Organic 3-Bean & Vegetable Soup

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time 4-5 hours

You won’t find any chemical-laden, canned bases and artificial seasoning packets in this vegan soup, just organic beans, veggies and taste-bud-tingling spices. “Bean” me up >

9/35: Vegan Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours

Make this recipe in bulk and freeze – when you’re really short of time, reheat and serve your gang this comforting chili with a small side salad for an I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-fresh meal. Freeze this one in your memory > 

10/35: Sweet Potato Vegan Mac and Cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

If you or your little ones frown and scoff at the thought of vegan cheese, you’re all in for a tasty surprise because this nut-free mac and cheese will convince even the most die-hard dairy lover. Say “(vegan) cheese” > 

11/35: Vegetarian Nicoise Salad with Farro

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Traditional salade niçoise is made with anchovies, but this version swaps in farro, a hearty, nutty grain with 7 grams of protein per serving, for a vegetarian-friendly dish. Near or farro, you’ll love this dish > 

12/35: Freekeh Salad with Mint-Parsley Pesto 

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Here’s another dish that adds a bit of variety and exoticism to your quick-and-easy meal plan. This salad features freekeh, a fiber- and protein-packed grain that’s as fun to say as it is wholesome and tasty. Ready to get freekeh? >

13/35: Organic Golden Pea & Barley Slow Cooker Soup

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 5 hours on high/8-9 hours on low

When you’re short on time, your slow cooker becomes the one kitchen appliance you can’t live — or cook — without. This kid-friendly version of split pea soup is a throw-it-in-and-go kind of dish. Throw & go > 

14/35: Fast & Fiery Jambalaya 

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

Jazz up an ordinary weeknight with a quick-to-make jambalaya. After some light chopping, this recipe will practically come together all by itself. What cold be better? Goodbye, dinner blues > 

15/35: Loaded Burrito Bowl

Prep time: >5 minutes
Assembly time: 5 minutes

Sometimes you need a great, clean-out-the-fridge recipe. If you’ve got leftover veggies, potatoes or rice sitting around, make this burrito bowl. It’s so tasty, you’ll want to make it from scratch when you’ve got more time! Load it up > 

16/35: Quick Vegetable Stir-Fry Bowl with Quinoa 

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Limited time isn’t the only obstacle you face when preparing dinner after a long, hard day. Some days, you just don’t feel like cooking! On those days, you’ll turn to this simple recipe. It’s been a hard day’s bite >

17/35: Soba Noodles with Curry-Spiced Tofu

Prep time: 30 minutes (or opt for a quick-press tofu method!)
Cook time: 15- 20 minutes

Teeming with tasty and aromatic spices, like curry and ginger, this vegan, gluten-free dish is a flavorful and nutritious option for the entire family. Serve up some soba >

18/35: Easy Vegan Pho Noodle Bowl 

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Serving 6, this soup can feed a few with plenty of tempting leftovers or an entire family, including the neighbor boy from across the street you didn’t know was staying for dinner. Feed the family >

19/35: 10-Minute Kelp Noodle Salad with Homemade Peanut Sauce 

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: >5 minutes

No cooking here! These raw noodles are simply rinsed and then coated in a homemade peanut sauce. For a filling meal, toss with greens and veggies. Kelp can’t be beat >

20/35: Asian Sesame-Tofu Lettuce Wraps 

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Prep this meal for dinner with a side of quinoa or brown rice, and let your kids “play with their food” by building their own wraps. These wraps also make a great, packable lunch for the office. That’s a wrap >

21/35: Slow-Cooker Spanish Rice & Chicken 

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours

It’s not like you needed another reason to love your Crockpot, but this fret-free, one-pot, Spanish-style recipe gives you one anyway! This recipe is delicious all year long. ¡Que rico! > 

22/35: Vegan Stuffed Peppers with South of the Border Quinoa

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

This meatless dish has it all: protein-packed quinoa, nutritious vegetables and a zesty, easy-to-make dressing to top it all off. Did we mention it’s incredibly quick and easy to make? ‘Cause it was a fiesta >

23/35: Oil- & Gluten-Free Mexican-Inspired Vegan Pizza 

Prep time: 10 minutes + overnight soaking
Cook time: 30 minutes

Your favorite unhealthy fare got a healthy upgrade. You’re welcome. Note: This plant-based recipe only serves one, but the measurements can be easily tweaked to serve more. One is the tastiest number that you’ll ever eat >

24/35: Southwestern Black Bean Noodle Bowl with Avocado “Sour Cream” 

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

The best weeknight meals are healthy, quick, easy and tasty. They get bonus points if they’re made with a few fresh ingredients. This black bean noodle bowl is all of those things. Dig in >

25/35: Slow Cooker Spicy Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 4-6 hours

With fiery fiesta flavor and nutritious ingredients, this soup is a Mexican-style meal that’s perfect any night—especially on those busy weeknights when you don’t have time to cook a full meal. Have dinner ready in no time > 

26/35: Cheese Tortellini in Creamy Tomato Sauce 

Prep time: >5 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes

This three-cheese tortellini is hearty by definition, but it’s not heavy on the stomach. Its rich creaminess comes from a few dollops of protein-packed Greek yogurt. No one needs to know it’s not real cream! It’s the cream of the pot > 

27/35: Chickpea Pesto Pasta with Veggies 

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Here’s a simple one that’s sure to save the day: sauté veggies, combine with gluten-free chickpea-based fusilli noodles and toss with pesto sauce. Done! This recipe won’t eat up your evening >

28/35: Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine with Creamy Green Tahini Sauce

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Ever heard of a pasta that cooks in 4 minutes? The fettuccine used in this recipe does! For the quickest method, skip the Brazil nut “Parmesan”. Got four minutes? >

29/35: Italian Chicken Sausage Stuffed Shells

Prep time: >5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

It’s what’s inside that counts, so stuff your pasta shells with a healthier mix! Italian sausage adds protein, while low-fat cottage cheese keeps the calories low. That’s the stuff > 

30/35: Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta 

Prep time: 5 minutes + time to cook penne pasta
Cook time: 30 minutes

Marinara has finally met its match. Instead of emptying out a jar of red sauce over a pot of penne for a quick bite, try this fresh, creamy pasta sauce. You “butternut” skip this one >

31/35: Paleo Chicken Tenders

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Pair this gluten-, dairy- and grain-free version of chicken tenders with homemade honey mustard sauce to keep little ones (and grownups!) satisfied for hours – or at least until dessert time. (We can help with desserts, too!) Dip included > 

32/35: Quick-and-Easy Bean Burgers

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Frozen veggie burgers might make a convenient dinner, but would it be a healthy one? We challenge you to bypass the processed, packaged foods and make your own burgers from scratch in less than 30 minutes. Challenge accepted > 

33/35: Paleo Chicken Wraps with Avocado

Prep time: >5 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours + 10-15 minutes baking time

Soups aren’t the only thing you can make in a slow cooker. Set whole chicken and seasonings in your crockpot, and come dinnertime, you’ll just need about 10 minutes to whip up these wraps. Get wrapped up >

34/35: Slow Cooker Garlic & Lemon Pulled Pork with Homemade Coleslaw 

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 8-10 hours + 15 minutes to make coleslaw

Whether your slow cooker has seen pulled pork many times or this recipe takes you out of your Crockpot comfort zone, embrace it! Get a complete meal with homemade coleslaw and gluten-free rolls. Warm your belly > 

35/35: Easy Chipotle Jackfruit Tacos

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Have you ever tried jackfruit? It’s one of the health community’s newest and hottest trends. Give the wonder fruit (that slightly resembles shredded pork) a try in these family-pleasing tacos. Faster than you can say Jack Robinson >