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60 Best Easy Dinners

We’ve rounded up our 60 best, easy dinner recipes! From grilled steak to braised chickpeas to allll the sheet pan dinners—we’ve got you covered.

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Shredded chicken thighs covered with marinara over polenta in a bowl with fresh basil

What should I make for dinner tonight that's EASY? What are some good, healthy dinners? Could I just pay someone to come up with an easy dinner idea for me? We’re food bloggers—we literally cook dinner for a living—and these questions still haunt us sometimes. Standing there, staring into the fridge, wondering what you can whip up tonight that everyone will gladly eat and that won’t take a zillion hours—yeah, we’ve been there! For you (and for ourselves!) we’ve put together this list of the 60 BEST, easy dinner recipes we’ve got. They’re all over the map—some are healthy recipes, some are a little more indulgent, some are vegetarian recipes, some are all about a big slab of protein—but they’re unified by their simplicity. So here you have it! Our absolute best, easy dinners—all in one place

Rigatoni pasta with broccoli pesto in a bowl with a spoon
4 lemon chicken breasts baked in a baking dish with olive oil, white wine, lemon juice, garlic and spices

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Our Best Easy Healthy Dinner Recipes

ratatouille baked on a sheet pan with 5 sausage links with a white serving spoon.
salmon and zucchini with bok choy and mushrooms
cheese and avocado sheet pan quesadilla with jalapeño ranch
Instant pot mac and cheese in a bowl sprinkled with pepper with a spoon and linen.

Best, Easy Dinner Recipes For A Family

crock pot chicken tacos in a silver pan topped with salsa and limes
Whole30 approved shrimp and sausage sheet pan dinner with asparagus
Hoisin Glazed Pork Chops on a plate with a spoon
Pork Chops With Mushroom Cream Sauce in a pan with thyme and a spoon

Pork & Sausage Make Everything Taste AMAZING.

cauliflower gnocchi with bruschetta sauce and sausage
Sheet pan Italian sausage héros with honey mustard
Grilled Ribeye with Salsa Verde on a cutting board
A plate of carne asada with tortillas, limes, avocado and radishes

The Best Dinner Recipes of All Time Involve Steak—We Can All Agree on That, Right?

5 ingredient chicken tortilla soup in a bowl with cilantro and sour cream
ceramic bowl of creamy tortellini soup with sausage and kale topped with fresh parmesan

Our Go-To Easy Dinner Idea? Soup!

homemade chicken noodle soup in a bowl with a spoon
white bean and bacon soup in a bowl with a spoon
bowl of creamy roasted red pepper rigatoni pasta topped with fresh parmesan cheese and basil
baked gnocchi with fresh mozzarella

Oodles of Easy Noodle Recipes

cheesy Baked Gnocchi with broccoli in a cast iron skillet
Sesame Garlic Noodles on a plate with garlic chili sauce
Roasted Chicken With taco seasoning over Cabbage in a skillet
Green Chicken Enchiladas with melted cheese and extra sauce

Chicken Dinner Ideas? Ooooohhhh Have We Ever Got Chicken Dinner Ideas!

cast iron skillet with whole roasted chicken topped with butter and lemon pan sauce
easy chicken piccata recipe with lemons and capers in a cast iron pan
a bowl of homemade baked orange chicken on white rice topped with sesame seeds and green onions
thai basil beef over white rice in a large white bowl

Stir-Fries: The OG Quick, Easy Dinner

braised chickpeas in tomato sauce with chard shown in a ceramic bowl with sourdough bread and a wooden handled spoon.
eggs cooked in salsa verde topped with radish, cotija cheese and cilantro

Easy, Fast Vegetarian Dinner Ideas

  • Salsa Verde Baked Eggs. A jar of salsa verde makes this elegant egg dish incredibly speedy. Yeah, it sounds brunchy, but trust us—try it for dinner!
  • Braised Chickpeas with Chard. Rich, filling and healthy, this dinner is as fast and delicious as any we could imagine. Easy on the budget, too!
  • Portobello Mushroom Fajitas. Just as good as their chicken or steak-filled counterparts, and just as fast, too.
  • Huevos Rancheros. Runny, fried eggs over a bed of seasoned beans, atop a layer of warm corn tortillas, add a few condiments and voila—breakfast for dinner takes on a whole new meaning.
  • Soft-Scrambled Eggs. Don’t knock it—scrambled eggs make a perfect dinner in our book. Add a little Blackberry Goat Cheese Salad or Avocado and Melon Salad if you want to round it out, and dinner will still be ready in about 15 minutes.
vegan Portobello Mushroom Fajitas on a sheet pan with tortillas
Soft Scrambled Eggs on a plate with chives and toasted bread

If you make ANY of these 60 BEST Easy Dinners, we want to hear about it! Be sure to tag us on instagram using @themodernproper or #themodernproper if you do!

60 Best Easy Dinners

Questions & Reviews

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  • Brenda

    Hello, my mother is 90 years old. I am her caregiver and I am grateful to be able to do this. The biggest problem I have is figuring out what to make her for dinners. She is beyond fussy and I am running out of ideas. I have searched and searched on the web and all that I see is meals that I know she would not like. Any idea’s? She does not like fussy meals, she is a simple lady with simple tastes when it comes to her suppers. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

    Check out our Lemon Chicken and our Creamy Chicken Orzo. Both are pretty basic and mild in flavor. Hope this helps!

  • Morgan

    All looks really good, and I am excited to make all of this stuff


    Thanks Morgan, you'll have to let us know how you like them as you make them!

  • Ash

    Omggg All of this stuff looks super good and delicious! I need to get some more recipes!

    -Ash

    Thanks Ash!

  • Jayla

    How do I make an amazing lasagna? Your food looks incredible I really like them,

    Thank you! You can check out our Classic Lasagna Recipe. Hope you enjoy!

  • skehen

    delicious dinners for my husband

    Glad we could help!

  • Ciella

    IT TASTE SO GOOOD I LOVED IT

    Thanks!

  • Keira

    good i like it

    Thanks Keira!

  • Jessica

    This was so good! I love every meal on here!!

    Thanks Jessica!

  • Ed

    Great list! Very helpful for someone in college like me who has gotten tired of chicken and rice.

    Thanks Ed, so happy we could help!

  • Carol

    I love these recipes they are truly perfect for a quick and easy dinner.

    Thanks Carol!