27 Low-Effort Dinner Recipes
These dinners are perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t have energy to cook anything complicated. Most of them use one pot, one pan, or just dump everything in a slow cooker.
They’re all made with simple ingredients you probably already have or can grab quickly at the store. None of these require fancy techniques or tons of prep work, but they still taste way better than takeout.
One-Pan Chicken and Vegetables
Just throw chicken pieces and whatever vegetables you have on a sheet pan, drizzle with oil and seasonings, and bake. The chicken stays juicy and the veggies get all caramelized. Use whatever’s in your fridge – potatoes, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers. Everything cooks together so there’s minimal cleanup. This is my go-to when I’m tired but want actual food. Takes about 30 minutes and most of that is hands-off baking time.
Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Dump chicken breasts, salsa, and some taco seasoning in the slow cooker in the morning. By dinner it shreds easily and tastes amazing. Serve with tortillas and whatever toppings you have – cheese, lettuce, sour cream. Kids love these cause they can build their own tacos. The leftovers work great for lunch bowls or quesadillas the next day. Literally couldn’t be easier.
Get the recipe here.
Sheet Pan Salmon with Roasted Vegetables
Salmon cooks super fast and doesn’t need much to taste good. Put the fish and vegetables on the same pan, season everything, and bake for like 15 minutes. The salmon comes out flaky and the vegetables are perfectly tender. Asparagus, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts work great. This feels fancy but takes less effort than most easy dinners. Good when you want something healthy that doesn’t feel like diet food.
Get the recipe here.
Instant Pot Beef Stew
If you have an Instant Pot, this is ridiculously easy. Just brown the meat if you want (but you don’t have to), add vegetables, broth, and seasonings, then pressure cook for about an hour. The meat comes out fork-tender and the vegetables are perfectly cooked. Tastes like it simmered all day but only takes about 90 minutes total. Perfect for cold nights when you want comfort food without the work.
Get the recipe here.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
This is basically pasta with garlic and olive oil but it tastes way fancier than it sounds. You just cook garlic in olive oil until fragrant, toss with cooked pasta, and add some parmesan and red pepper flakes. Takes maybe 15 minutes total and uses ingredients you probably already have. The key is not burning the garlic and using good olive oil. Simple but so satisfying when you want something light but flavorful.
Get the recipe here.
Baked Chicken Thighs with Potatoes
Chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts and way harder to overcook. Season them and throw on a pan with cut-up potatoes. Everything roasts together and the chicken fat makes the potatoes taste amazing. The skin gets crispy while the meat stays juicy. You can use whatever seasonings you like – Italian herbs, barbecue rub, just salt and pepper. This feels like a real dinner but requires almost no effort.
Get the recipe here.
Tuna Pasta Salad
This is great for hot nights when you don’t want to cook much. Just boil pasta, drain and cool it, then mix with canned tuna, mayo, and whatever vegetables you have. Frozen peas work great cause they thaw in the pasta. Add some cheese or hard-boiled eggs if you want more protein. This keeps well in the fridge so you can make extra for lunch tomorrow. Kids usually like this cause it’s not too weird or spicy.
Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Chili
Dump ground meat (or not if you want vegetarian), beans, tomatoes, and chili seasonings in the slow cooker. Let it go all day and come home to amazing smells. Top with cheese, sour cream, or cornbread. The longer it cooks the better it tastes. This makes a huge batch so you’ll have leftovers for days. Freezes really well too so you can make a double batch and save some for later.
Get the recipe here.
Scrambled Egg Fried Rice
Use leftover rice (day-old rice works best) and scramble some eggs with it. Add whatever vegetables you have – frozen peas, carrots, leftover broccoli. Season with soy sauce and you’re done. This is a great way to use up odds and ends in your fridge. Takes maybe 10 minutes and tastes better than takeout fried rice. Kids love this and it’s cheap to make. Perfect when you need dinner fast.
Get the recipe here.
Caprese Grilled Cheese
Just add fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, and basil to regular grilled cheese. The tomatoes get warm and juicy and the basil adds fresh flavor. Use good bread if you have it but regular sandwich bread works fine too. This feels fancy but takes the same effort as regular grilled cheese. Great with tomato soup or just a simple salad. Perfect when you want comfort food that feels a little special.
Get the recipe here.
One-Pot Lemon Garlic Pasta- ingredient missing
Cook pasta in chicken broth instead of water, then add garlic, lemon juice, and parmesan. Everything cooks in one pot so there’s minimal cleanup. The starchy pasta water makes everything creamy without adding cream. You can throw in frozen peas or spinach at the end for vegetables. This tastes bright and fresh but is really simple to make. Takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Get the recipe here.
Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas
Buy a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred the meat. Put it between tortillas with cheese and cook in a pan until crispy. The pre-cooked chicken saves tons of time and tastes better than anything you’d cook yourself after a long day. Serve with salsa and sour cream. The kids can help assemble these which makes dinner prep easier. Leftover chicken works great for lunch salads too.
Get the recipe here.
Microwave Baked Sweet Potato with Toppings
Pierce a sweet potato all over and microwave for about 8 minutes until soft. Top with whatever you have – black beans, cheese, salsa, avocado, leftover chili. Sweet potatoes are filling and nutritious and the microwave makes them perfectly tender. This isn’t fancy but it’s satisfying and you can customize it however you want. Good when you want something healthy that feels like a real meal.
Get the recipe here.
Deli Wrap Sandwiches
Get good deli meat and cheese from the store and make wraps with whatever vegetables you have. Tortillas hold more than regular bread and don’t get soggy as fast. Add some mayo or mustard and maybe avocado if you have it. These are great for picnics or when it’s too hot to cook. You can make several at once and wrap them up for lunch tomorrow too. Better than fast food and probably cheaper.
Get the recipe here.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
If you have a pressure cooker, this takes about 15 minutes total. The pasta cooks right in the milk and cheese so everything gets creamy without making a separate cheese sauce. Add some frozen broccoli or peas at the end if you want vegetables. This tastes way better than the boxed stuff but isn’t much more work. Kids obviously love this and it’s comfort food that actually fills you up.
Get the recipe here.
Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers
Cut up sausages and bell peppers, toss with oil and seasonings, and roast everything together. The sausages cook through and the peppers get soft and caramelized. Serve over rice or with crusty bread. You can add onions or potatoes too if you have them. This is a classic combo that always tastes good and requires almost no prep work. The flavors all work together perfectly.
Get the recipe here.
Pantry Pasta with Canned Tomatoes
This uses stuff you probably already have – pasta, canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil. Cook the garlic in oil, add the tomatoes and let them break down, then toss with pasta. Add some red pepper flakes and parmesan if you have them. This is basic but surprisingly satisfying. You can add whatever vegetables or leftover meat you have lying around. Great emergency dinner when you haven’t been grocery shopping.
Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Put a pork shoulder in the slow cooker with barbecue sauce or just seasonings and let it cook all day. By dinner it shreds easily and tastes amazing. Serve on buns with coleslaw or just eat it plain. This makes a huge amount so you’ll have leftovers for sandwiches, tacos, or salad bowls. The meat freezes well too. Minimal effort for maximum flavor and it feeds a crowd.
Get the recipe here.
Bagel Pizza
Split bagels in half, top with pizza sauce and cheese, and bake until melty. Kids love making these and you can let everyone customize their own. Way better than frozen pizza and probably cheaper too. You can add whatever toppings you have – pepperoni, vegetables, leftover meat. These work for lunch or a quick dinner when you don’t feel like real cooking. Takes maybe 10 minutes total.
Get the recipe here.
One-Pan Kielbasa and Cabbage
Slice kielbasa and cook it in a big pan, then add chopped cabbage and let it cook down. Season with salt, pepper, and maybe some caraway seeds if you have them. The sausage fat flavors the cabbage and everything gets tender and delicious. This is comfort food that’s also pretty healthy. Add some potatoes if you want more substance. Simple but really satisfying on cold nights.
Get the recipe here.
Taco Soup
Brown ground meat (or skip it for vegetarian), then add beans, corn, tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Let it simmer for like 20 minutes and you’re done. Top with cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. This is basically chili but faster and easier. Kids usually like this cause it’s not too spicy and they can add their own toppings. Makes great leftovers and freezes well.
Get the recipe here.
Baked Ziti
Cook pasta, mix with jarred marinara sauce and cheese, dump in a baking dish, and bake until bubbly. You can add ground meat or vegetables if you want but it’s good plain too. This feeds a crowd and reheats really well. Way easier than lasagna but just as satisfying. Good for potlucks or when you need to feed lots of people without much effort. Kids always eat this without complaining.
Get the recipe here.
Chicken Caesar Salad
Buy a bag of Caesar salad mix and rotisserie chicken from the store. Tear up the chicken and toss with the salad. Add some croutons if you want crunch. This feels light but is actually pretty filling because of the protein. Good for hot nights when you don’t want to cook. You can add other vegetables if you have them – tomatoes, cucumbers, whatever. Fast and healthy but doesn’t feel like diet food.
Get the recipe here.
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Make grilled cheese sandwiches and open a can of tomato soup. This is the ultimate comfort food combo that takes maybe 10 minutes total. Use whatever cheese you have and add tomato slices to the sandwich if you want. The soup can be from a can or carton – doesn’t matter. Sometimes simple classics are exactly what you need. Perfect for cold nights or when you want something nostalgic.
Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice
Put chicken, rice, broth, and whatever vegetables you have in the slow cooker. Everything cooks together so the rice absorbs all the flavors. Some recipes have you add the rice later but I think it works fine all together. This is basically a complete meal that cooks itself. Season however you like – Italian herbs, curry powder, just salt and pepper. Easy and filling.
Get the recipe here.
English Muffin Pizzas
Split English muffins, top with pizza sauce and cheese, and broil until melty. These are crispier than bagel pizzas and cook even faster. Good for quick lunches or when kids want to help make dinner. You can toast the muffins first if you want them extra crispy. Add whatever toppings you have lying around. These satisfy pizza cravings without ordering delivery or making actual pizza dough.
Get the recipe here.
Loaded Baked Potato Bar
Bake potatoes in the microwave (pierce all over first) and set out toppings for everyone to build their own. Cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, chives, leftover chili, broccoli – whatever you have works. This isn’t fancy but everyone loves customizing their own potato. Good for nights when everyone wants something different. The potatoes are filling and you can make it as healthy or indulgent as you want with the toppings.
Get the recipe here.
