Chicken and cabbage stir-fry, spinach-artichoke pasta, hands-off black bean soup, and more go-to recipes to keep your busy family well fed. The good news about “family-friendly” dinners? They can be whatever you want them to be. Loaded sweet potato wedges eaten straight from the sheet pan? Absolutely. A dose of nostalgia by way of movie-night sloppy Joes, updated with a fiery kick of gochujang?
No question about it. These are dinners for cautious eaters and adventurous ones alike—some familiar, some a little unexpected, and all worth bringing to the table. Whether tonight calls for a cozy soup (that you can set and forget in your Instant Pot) or easy fish tacos (we have a hunch they’ll become part of your regular weeknight dinner rotation), we’ve got plenty of ideas to keep dinner interesting all year long.
Set tortillas, flaky cod or halibut, spicy lime sauce, and toppings out family-style and let everyone assemble their own piled-high tacos. It’s a simple weeknight family dinner that doubles as a choose-your-own-adventure activity. Packed with ground chicken, white beans, and canned green chiles, this fast-cooking stew only gets better over time, so make a big batch. We promise, you won’t mind eating it two days in a row.
High-protein cottage cheese replaces often-pricier ricotta in this
High-protein cottage cheese replaces often-pricier ricotta in this thrifty-ish spin on a familiar family favorite. More shocking: mozzarella is out too, in favor of tangy super-melter Fontina. If your family loves pepperoni pizza, they’ll love this baked pasta, which hits all the saucy, spicy, cheesy notes with no takeout required. Roasting the sauce on a sheet pan concentrates its flavor before everything gets a blanket of cheese.
All the appeal of a spicy salmon roll, reassembled as a family-friendly bowl. Pickled cucumber and spicy mayo accompany crackly, broiled salmon cubes for a dinner that’s as fun to eat as it is easy to customize. Smoky-sweet Korean gochujang lends a hum of heat to this riff on a childhood favorite. Soft buns and a stack of napkins do the rest. Think chicken pot pie, but in cozy soup form.
Complete with crackly, buttery shards of puff pastry you can tear and share, this family meal practically demands a crowd around the table. This shareable skillet is packed with the flavors of a family-favorite appetizer, with roasted poblanos, red onions, and jalapeños smothered in cheesy sauce. Store-bought pizza dough makes this family-friendly dinner a snap, even on busy weeknights.
This California Pizza Kitchen-inspired recipe is smoky-sweet thanks
This California Pizza Kitchen-inspired recipe is smoky-sweet thanks to barbecue sauce, Gouda cheese, and frizzled mushrooms. Store-bought zhug, a Yemeni-spiced cilantro sauce, and your broiler are the shortcuts to juicy, charred, baked chicken without a grill. It’s an easy, low-fuss dinner that delivers big flavor. Somewhere between nachos and loaded potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes get topped with spiced ground beef and briny kimchi for a main dish that’s complete enough to enjoy straight off the sheet pan.
Genuinely juicy, supremely crispy, flavored like falafel, and browned in a skillet for ultimate ease. Serve them with your favorite burger toppings for an easy family dinner. Sometimes you just want to cook an old faithful—the kind of dinner you know the whole family will love. That’s when you reach for this rich, cheesy, ever-reliable baked ziti. These vibrant (and vegetarian) kale-and-black-bean-stuffed peppers are a repeat-worthy, one-dish dinner full of hearty flavor.
Stirring a dollop of sour cream into the tomato sauce gives it rich texture. Everyone loves a customizable dinner, and this shawarma-spiced chicken is made for it. Set out warm pitas and all your favorite fixings, like sliced tomatoes and cucumber spears, and let everyone build their perfect plate. Shrimp cooked in garlicky, lemony butter is bound to be delicious. Serve it with crusty bread or toss it with pasta for a cozy weeknight meal the whole family will love.
Golden-edged tofu meets a bold, spicy satay-inspired peanut
Golden-edged tofu meets a bold, spicy satay-inspired peanut sauce in this quick, satisfying dish. Pile it over rice or serve with naan for scooping. Canned pumpkin is good for way more than sweets. Here, lemon, Parmesan, and chile flakes turn it into a creamy, savory sauce that comes together while the pasta boils. Spinach-packed dal is a lifesaver on nights when you’re strapped for time but craving something deeply comforting.
Serve it with rice or flatbread for a quick vegetarian meal. Tender soy-glazed chicken meatballs and crisp sesame green beans make a balanced family dinner that needs little else than a pot of rice. Transform two favorite store-bought ingredients—cheese ravioli and crispy fried onions—into a rich and luscious skillet dinner with a crispy, savory top. This sunny, dressed-for-summer family dinner relies on a pantry-friendly chicken marinade.
All you need: sugar, vinegar, salt, and a few spices. Add couscous and dinner is done. Make these succulent pork chops when it’s 6:26 p.m. on a Monday and you haven’t figured out what’s for dinner. The sweet-and-savory sauce makes this quick weeknight meal feel planned ahead. Canned chickpeas and frozen broccoli keep this one-skillet dinner fast and thrifty, while cream cheese delivers on the faux pasta Alfredo front.
Leftover rice meets plenty of fresh ginger, soy
Leftover rice meets plenty of fresh ginger, soy sauce, and eggs in this satisfying 20-minute dinner. The key is starting with cold, cooked rice, which crisps up beautifully in a hot skillet. Cherry tomatoes burst around a block of feta in the oven, forming a tangy, creamy pasta sauce. Calabrian chile paste brings a welcome kick that cuts through the richness. This hearty catch-all skillet dinner tastes just as good in egg burritos the next morning, or make and freeze it up to three months ahead.
Upgrade grilled salmon with a punchy, vibrant dill chimichurri. It’s quick, fresh, and feels fancy enough to make you feel like you have your life together. Much faster to make than risotto, this lemony, bright orzotto gets its herby savoriness from a pantry savior: store-bought jarred pesto. Your favorite party dip, now in pasta form. Frozen spinach and jarred artichokes keep things convenient, while plenty of bubbling cheese makes this skillet dinner every bit as comforting as the original.
So tired you’re considering takeout? Try this simple, speedy stir-fry instead—it comes together in 25 minutes but tastes restaurant-quality. Store-bought gnocchi bakes up crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside, the perfect complement to browned spicy sausage and a sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan. Give mac and cheese the hot wing treatment, because sometimes one comfort food just isn’t enough.
It’s creamy, tangy, and just spicy enough
It’s creamy, tangy, and just spicy enough to keep you coming back for another forkful. Let your Instant Pot handle this warm, spicy, protein-packed, family-friendly dinner idea. Top it with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of pickled onions, and whatever else floats your fancy. Chicken and cabbage may sound pretty basic, but this stir-fry is anything but. Sambal oelek and fish sauce give it plenty of spicy, salty flavor, making it a nutritious family dinner that packs a punch.
Crisp bibb lettuce leaves make the perfect cups for this spicy larb-inspired chicken, which you can dress up with fresh herbs and fried shallots. It’s a fun, hands-on family dinner that gets everyone involved. This is the kind of salad that can hold its own as a family dinner, packed with roasted sweet potato and tofu, crisp red apple, and a bright, herby green goddess dressing.
Source: www.bonappetit.com
