10 Easy Dinner Recipes for Beginners (Who Are Definitely Over Frozen Pizza)

I can’t say how many times I’ve been at this point: typing “easy dinner recipes for beginners” into the trusty Google search bar, tapping “send,” and keeping my fingers crossed for suggestions that I can recreate in less than 30 minutes. After building a rich search history, I’ve put together my own list of quick and easy dinner recipes that could really come in handy on a busy weeknight. 

Quick and Easy Pasta Dishes

1. Classic Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

The classic spaghetti aglio e olio is plain: spaghetti boiled in salted water until al dente, drained from the water, and coated in sautéed garlic and red pepper flakes. On most days, I’m happy with the garlicky goodness and silky satisfaction that comes with this easy weeknight dinner. And on days when I don’t want to feel like I’m just scrambling together another one of the quick and easy dinner ideas, I throw in canned chickpeas, some broccoli, and shred some leftover (but very well preserved) rotisserie chicken into everything. 

2. Creamy Mac and Cheese with Peas

Delicious recipes that remind you of easy family dinners? That’s mac and cheese with peas. It all comes together in about 20 minutes or 25, tops. The first ten minutes: boil macaroni, drain pasta water, and set the macaroni aside. For the rest of the 10 or 15, I melt butter, whisk flour in, add milk, stir in cheese, and then fold in the pasta and peas. Then all I need is a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and I’m set. 

3. One-Pot Cacio e Pepe

My one-pot magic takes about 20 minutes to make. Basically, you’re toast black pepper over medium heat, boil salted water inside the same pan, and then add pasta. After boiling the spaghetti, drain most of the water from it. Then, stir in cheese into the spaghetti after removing the pot from the stove. 

One-Pan and Sheet Pan Meals

4. Sheet Pan Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Carrots

You won’t have to wait forever to get dinner on the table. Just preheat your oven to 425°F, toss chicken thighs, broccoli, and carrots onto a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, and that’s it. 

5. Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Do you have a handful of ingredients and a craving for comfort food made with chicken? Bake chicken breasts glazed with mixed tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasoning topped with sprinkled mozzarella. It goes well with pasta and rice but I personally prefer serving it with crusty bread. 

6. Teriyaki Salmon with Red Peppers and Kale

You know what else you should try when all you want in the world is an easy weeknight meal? Teriyaki-glazed salmon fillets that have  roasted bell peppers and kale cutting through their buttery-sweet salty and slightly tangy flavor. It takes 15 minutes out of my lifetime for the salmon to cook until it flakes with a fork and the vegetables are tender—and I don’t mind at all. 

Stir-fry Recipes for Beginners 

7. Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

Whenever I see “stir fry” in any easy dinner recipes for beginners, I bookmark it. I’m all for quick dinners, and stir-frying chicken, garlic, and broccoli in hot oil gets me there fast. 

8. Chickpea and Cauliflower Stir Fry

This is one of the easiest recipes to make. I give it extra points because it requires onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and spices. If you want to deepen the creaminess of the chickpeas, add a splash of coconut milk. 

Creative and Nutritious Dinner Ideas

9. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans and Kale

Looking for easy recipes when I don’t have an appetite is hard, so I often turn to sweet potatoes roasted on a baking sheet at 400°F. Sometimes, after stuffing the sliced soft potatoes lengthwise with kale and black beans, something inspires me to top the potatoes with shredded cheese and sour cream. Since my palate is quite mild, I prefer not to use crushed red peppers. But you should totally use them if you want your easy weeknight dinner to also be spicy. 

10. Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with Roasted Cauliflower

One thing those in my friend circle have learned is that I don’t think there can be too many simple recipes perfect for busy weeknights. Take cauliflower tossed with olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet and roasted in a preheated oven, for example. If all you have to do is fill tortillas with roasted cauliflower and heated shredded chicken for dinner, you’d do it in a heartbeat, right?

Conclusion 

Okay, I have to clear something up: easy meals won’t come to you on their own. Depending on what you’re making, you might need to dice some veggies, sauté fresh ginger, add the pasta, or let rice cook in the background. Just keep your mind on the glory of chicken tenders, creamy chicken, tomato soup (or whatever’s in the works) and you’ll get through it.