Weeknights can be a whirlwind — it seems like there is never enough time to do it all. The cooking, the cleaning, the family time, let alone the space needed for sports and other extracurricular activities, and that one important task: dinner. I cook most nights of the week when we can, and am always looking for quick and easy options. There are some recipes that I repeat more often than others and are a little bit more adventurous than some staples like spaghetti, tacos, grilled chicken, etc. I have a picky eater, so finding something that we all like can be a bit of a challenge, but these recipes never fail us.
1. Korean Beef Bowls
This is one of those easy recipes with only a handful of ingredients that I always have on hand: ground beef, garlic, soy sauce, and brown sugar. It comes together in 15 minutes (truly, 15 minutes!). Not to mention, it uses up that random giant box of white minute rice that arrived in a grocery order one day. I love pairing it with Korean cucumbers for crunch and color. This recipe is also great for an easy leftover meal that you can throw in a lettuce wrap or over rice again…if you have any left — we never do!
2. Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage Dinner
I started making this recipe about a year ago and love how quick and easy it is. I make it even simpler by buying the pre-chopped vegetables when I can. It’s literally a pour and bake; the most strenuous thing about this dinner is cutting up sausage and making the sauce. Don’t skimp on the sauce! The mustard-maple sauce goes over everything to bake but I always double the sauce recipe so we have extra for dipping because it is divine!
3. Coconut Chickpea Curry
Recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen
Want a meatless Monday option? I was a vegetarian for many years and this was one of my favorite go-to recipes and still is. It’s made with almost all pantry ingredients and is so comforting and tasty. I’ve made it for so long, I have it written down and memorized, and was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find the internet recipe to credit the original. As a curry, it is rich and flavorful, but not too spicy. We always serve it with warm naan bread brushed with olive oil and minced garlic, then baked for a few minutes until golden. It’s also one of the best leftover meals. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a huge fan of leftovers, so any meal that is a good leftover is a big winner for me.
4. The World’s Easiest Yeast Bread
I’m a huge sourdough fan and love the process of making sourdough. However, time is often of the essence for many of us. For a homemade bread that’s crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, and doesn’t require a sourdough starter or a bread machine, this recipe is a great option. It’s no-knead and foolproof — I’ve never had a bad batch and everyone I share it with loves it, too. Our favorite is to couple it with a tasty soup, but it’s delicious by itself with butter or jam.
These recipes have become staples not just because they’re easy, but because they consistently deliver big flavor that we all love.
Do you have a favorite easy dinner recipe on repeat? I’d love to hear what’s in your rotation!
