60 Easy Dinner Recipes - A Beautiful Mess

“What should I make for dinner?” might be one of life’s most-asked questions. And quick, easy dinner recipes (that are equally delicious) are one of the most popular Google searches.

With that in mind, we sifted through our recipe archives to find the easiest dinner recipes. That’s right—in this post, you’ll find 60 easy dinner recipes.

Not sure what you’re craving for dinner? We have a big variety of recipe ideas in this post, including:

Soup and Chili
Pizza
Pasta
Stir Fry
Casseroles
Salads

Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is a lightly breaded chicken dish with a creamy, flavorful sauce. Serve it with bread so you can soak up the extra sauce. You’ll want to add this recipe to your weekly rotation—trust us!

Easy Taco Soup

A simple and easy-to-make taco soup recipe made with ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, and homemade tortilla strips. Be sure to add toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and hot sauce.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

This recipe for Italian beef sandwiches can be made in a crock pot and cooked slowly over eight hours. It’s an easy dinner idea that you can throw together in the morning and enjoy in the evening.

Honey and Miso Stir Fry

Stir fry is one of our go-to dinner ideas. This stir fry has a thick, mouth-watering honey miso sauce and it can be made with tofu, chicken, or any kind of protein you prefer.

30-Minute Sheet Pan Pizza

Homemade pizza in 30 minutes? Oh, yes. This recipe uses rapid rise yeast to quickly make the dough, and you can top it with your favorite toppings. We chose pineapple and ham— a controversial choice.

Toasted Ravioli Salad

Trust us on this dinner idea—toasted ravioli mixed in a green salad and topped with balsamic dressing. The crunchy, cheesy ravioli paired with a fresh salad is so good!

Overnight No-Boil Lasagna

Lasagna is one of the best comfort meals, and you can make it in a flash with this easy recipe. You can even prep this lasagna the night before using no-boil noodles and pop it in the oven the next day.

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

A simple air fryer chicken tenders recipe made with flour, egg, and panko (or breadcrumbs) that you can make in an air fryer in under 20 minutes. If you’re looking for something extra fast, you can use frozen chicken.

20-Minute Vegetable Green Curry

Delicious vegetable green curry in just 20 minutes! This recipe is packed with good-for-you ingredients and can be served with tofu or chicken. It’s a perfect weeknight dinner idea anytime, but especially when it’s cold outside.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

You can’t go wrong with this dinner idea—chicken and rice casserole. This easy recipe is made from scratch (without condensed soup) and is topped with crunchy French fried onions. It makes great leftovers!

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

These stuffed bell peppers are filled with quinoa and topped with melty cheese. They go great with a side of black beans with feta cheese and a few slices of lime.

30-Minute Vegetable White Chili

This veggie white chili is packed with flavor and super simple and quick to throw together. If you prefer, you can swap the beans for shredded chicken for a more traditional recipe. It’s amazing either way.

10-Minute Creamy Tomato Soup

You won’t believe the secret ingredient in this 10-minute creamy tomato soup recipe. It makes this soup incredibly creamy without using any dairy. Serve this soup with a perfectly toasted grilled cheese sandwich for a complete meal.

Easy Gnocchi Soup

This gnocchi soup is made with vegetables, potato gnocchi, and sausage. It’s a great balance of veggie and protein, and inspired a delicious Olive Garden soup (but even better!).

Red Beans and Rice Veggie Burgers

This easy recipe for high-protein veggie burgers features red beans and rice, which is a great combination because they form a complete protein. You could even make extra burgers and freeze them for a quick dinner.

Chipotle & Pumpkin Veggie Enchiladas

A chipotle pumpkin enchilada recipe that’s packed with flavor—and the sauce can be easily made in a blender. Top these enchiladas with lots of melty cheese and ripe avocado. You won’t be disappointed!

Easy Tortellini Soup

A simple 20-minute tomato soup with cheese tortellini and a juicy orange base. It might sound a little different, but it adds a bright pop of flavor. Soup and pasta in one dish? Yes, please.

Whole Wheat One-Pot Pasta

If you haven’t made a one-pot pasta before, you must try it. This whole wheat version has fewer calories, more fiber, and more nutrients than regular pasta, so it’s a win-win situation.

Crispy Air Fryer Wings

A simple recipe for super crispy air fried chicken wings that can be easily be customized with any wing sauce or hot sauce. Frank’s Wing Sauce is our favorite, though!

Chickpea Yellow Curry

Chickpea yellow curry is a filling, vegetarian-friendly dinner option, and one of our favorite kinds of curry. Serve alongside some white or brown rice and top it with chopped cilantro. Yum!

Creamy Pea & Fresh Herb Fettuccine

If you’re craving a comfort meal, fettuccine is the ultimate fix. This creamy pea and fresh herb fettuccine is made with homemade Alfredo sauce and can be on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Super Filling Sweet Potato Tacos

These filling sweet potato tacos are the perfect balance of sweet and spicy for an excellent, healthy dinner. We highly recommend you give these a try at your next taco Tuesday.

Easy Calzone Recipe

Delicious calzones made easy with with recommendations of store-bought dough options and from-scratch dough recipes to try. This fun dinner idea pairs well with a salad (and lots of dipping sauce).

Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese

What’s not to love about baked macaroni and cheese? This is a super easy recipe that’s made without eggs or evaporated milk. An easy, classic recipe! This recipe makes 4-6 servings and is great leftover.

Thai Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are a great weeknight dinner idea that are quick to throw together, simple, and delicious. This filling is Thai-based, and can be made with ground turkey or tempeh (to make them vegetarian).

Quinoa Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is one of our favorites, and this recipe uses quinoa instead of noodles for a lighter version. Serve with a salad or your favorite vegetable side dish and enjoy!

Springfield-Style Cashew Cauliflower

Did you know cashew chicken was founded in our hometown? This recipe for cashew cauliflower is based on the recipe we know and love, but a little bit lighter. It’s incredibly good!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

This easy-to-follow recipe is made with the same ingredients as stuffed bell peppers, and ready in 30 minutes. Serve this soup with a cheese quesadilla for the full soup and grilled cheese experience.

Spicy Peanut Noodles

The sauce in this noodle dish is similar to the peanut sauce you make for spring rolls (with a little more spice). You could also add extra vegetables to this recipe to make it more of a stir fry.

Baked Chicken

Baked chicken is a quick dinner idea, and you can serve it with so many different sides. This recipe shows you how to bake chicken breasts without brining so they are juicy and perfectly cooked every time (in 15 minutes!).

White Sauce Veggie Enchiladas

We love making enchiladas for dinner, especially because you can customize them using all kinds of fillings and ingredients. This recipe is vegetable-based and topped with a creamy, white sauce.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

Enjoy a warm, comforting bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup in less than 30 minutes using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. It doesn’t get any easier than this. This recipe makes around 4 servings (perfect for lunch the next day).

Stir Fry Spaghetti Squash

Here’s a stir fry recipe that’s made with spaghetti squash. The seasoning and cooking method in this recipe makes the spaghetti squash taste SO much like glass noodles. You won’t even know the difference!

Baked Potato & Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This potato broccoli soup has all the creamy flavor of baked potato soup and packs a decent amount of greens from the broccoli. Top it with with shredded cheese and crackers before digging in.

Sheet Pan Totchos

We love an easy sheet pan meal—they are simple to make and perfect when feeding more than two people. That’s where sheet pan totchos (tator tot nachos) come in. They are always a favorite, and kids love them, too.

Creamy Garlic Mac & Cheese

Mmm … macaroni and cheese. This mac & cheese recipe is thick and creamy with a lot of garlic. Oh, and it can be made in a crock pot! Just imagine having this simmering on your counter and ready in time for dinner.

Easy Hamburger Soup

An easy hamburger soup with flavors of red onion, garlic, cayenne, and chili powder. Top this soup with shredded cheese and pickles (and toasted buns on the side) for an ultimate hamburger-like experience.

St. Louis-Style Pizza

St. Louis-style pizza is a thin, crunchy crust pizza with a blend of provel cheese and a slightly sweet sauce. This dough is yeast-free and comes together in no time.

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

What about “breakfast for dinner”? Biscuits and gravy casserole only has 6 ingredients and takes 45 minutes to bake. You can even make the majority of this recipe ahead and bake it when you’re ready to eat.

Baked Mini Falafel Salad

Finding a salad to make for dinner that’s both filling and flavorful can sometimes be a challenge, but this baked mini falafel salad has it all. It’s so good!

Crock Pot Butternut Mac & Cheese

All the comfort and cheesy goodness of macaroni and cheese made with a healthy dose of butternut squash. This recipe is a great option for someone who is gluten intolerant but wants to enjoy a pasta dish.

Easy Pumpkin Curry

Pumpkin curry combines the flavors of pumpkin with coconut milk and spices that are somewhat reminiscent of many Indian dishes. It’s so good! Serve with tofu or your protein of choice.

White Bean, Dill, and Vegetable Soup

A hearty vegetable soup made with white beans, potatoes, and chopped dill. This soup is creamy and filling while still managing to be made of mostly plants and whole ingredients.

Fresh Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Fresh spring rolls are versatile—you can make them for dinner or you can enjoy them as an appetizer/finger food. And they are really easy to put together! Grab a veggie chopper to make the process a little quicker.

Portobello Beer Burgers

If you’re craving a burger but want something lighter, try a portobello mushroom cheeseburger. The mushrooms are soaked in beer before they are cooked for a unique flavor. Add some onion rings (on top or as a side) and you’re set.

Warm Brussels Sprout Salad

This is a warm and filling salad made with Brussels sprouts, cranberry raisins, and homemade croutons. Emma made this after eating a similar salad at a restaurant. Easy and delicious!

5 Bean Vegetarian Chili

A super easy vegetarian chili recipe using a mix of pinto, kidney, black, great northern, and garbanzo beans. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and lots of Fritos.

One-Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta

A one-pot meal using fresh, store bought pasta and broccoli. This dish comes together quickly and it’s nice and comforting. It would also be delicious with air fryer salmon or air fried chicken tenders.

Honey-Roasted Veggies and Gnocchi

We love making roasted vegetables for dinner, and this recipe combines Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and gnocchi (potato dumplings). This is a colorful, healthy, and delicious meal that you can enjoy in under 30 minutes.

Chicken Verde Enchiladas

These cheesy chicken verde enchiladas are easy to make and perfect for leftovers the next day. The base of this dish is a rotisserie chicken and your favorite jar of salsa verde (so simple!).

Orange Chicken Sauce

Orange chicken is similar to sweet and sour chicken—it has a flavorful sauce that has some sweetness to it. The base of the sauce is orange juice, but it has many other ingredients that balance out the sweet flavor.

Carrot Pesto Pasta

The carrot pesto pasta is a little bit savory, a little bit sweet, and still has some delicious creaminess from the Parmesan cheese. The sauce can be made in a food processor, and couldn’t be easier to make.

Slow Cooker Split Pea and Lentil Soup

We love a soup recipe that we can throw in the slow cooker in the afternoon and have dinner ready by the end of the workday. This split pea and lentil soup is equally filling, good for you, and delicious.

Easy Vodka Sauce – 6 Ingredients

This is a super simple vodka sauce recipe with only six main ingredients. This creamy, pink sauce can served on any type of pasta you prefer—even gnocchi. Plus, homemade sauce always tastes better.

Stovetop Brussels and Shells

A stovetop dish with Brussels sprouts, whole wheat pasta, and a light, creamy sauce that contains a bright pop of flavor from fresh lemon juice and zest. Kids will love this recipe, too!

Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup

This sausage and kale soup is a blog favorite. It has a creamy base alongside chewy kale and soft (but chunky) potatoes. And, you could easily make this soup vegetarian with a couple of easy swaps.

Spicy Tempeh Taco Salad

You are going to love this spicy tempeh taco salad! Although this recipe is vegetarian, you could also use ground beef. Either way, it’s a delicious mix of salsa, spicy mayo, and chopped cilantro. Serve with soft or fried tortillas.