Easy, Flavorful Weeknight Dinners

Published on: September 26, 2017

Updated on: September 7, 2022

Our weeknight dinner strategy revolves around simple, healthyish, the-whole-family-will-love-them recipes.

BREAKFAST FOR DINNER

The childhood favorite still hits the spot well into adulthood.

Broccoli and Spinach Tortilla

When broccoli, spinach, and Cheddar cheese get together, good things happen.
The Boyfriend Breakfast Hash

Weeknights are for riffable cooking. This hash is paleo-friendly, and it could easily be tweaked to be vegetarian and made with whatever seasonal vegetables you happen to have on hand.
Spinach Silver Dollar Pancakes

A breakfast-for-dinner option that skews sweet but still delivers a healthy dose of greens.
Poached Eggs with Roasted Tomatoes and Halloumi

Who needs an English muffin when you have sweet roasted tomatoes and salty Halloumi as a base for your perfect poached egg?
Chive and Parmesan Dutch Baby

This puffed and golden savory pancake cooks up quickly and requires only a few simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. It’s delicious unadorned but fun served with smoked salmon, sliced avocado, and a simply dressed side of greens.
Breakfast Enchiladas

A hybrid casserole that includes all the components of a good breakfast burrito in an easy, make-ahead enchilada form. If you have time to make salsa or enchilada sauce, go for it; if not, use your favorite store-bought version.

Warm, cozy, familiar, and so satisfying.

Vegan Mac ’n’ Cheese

This vegan cheese sauce is also a dream drizzled over roasted vegetables.
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

We swapped in lean ground turkey for the classic lamb or beef and went with a 50-50 cauliflower-potato mix for that creamy topping.
Crockpot Veggie Chili

Sweet potato adds sweetness to this rich veggie chili. Best served with cornbread.
Vegan Cashew Tomato Soup

The cashews in this soup work wonders—it’s so creamy and cozy. Grilled cheese not required but highly recommended.
Wakame and Zucchini Fried Rice

Wakame and grated zucchini make this a veggie-packed meal to love.
Sesame Noodles

A simple, tasty noodle recipe that happens to be the ideal vehicle for any vegetable or protein you have on hand.

So many flavors, so little to clean up.

Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, and Lemon

We love the umami hit that anchovies provide, but feel free to skip them to make this vegetarian-friendly.
Miso Salmon with Bok Choy and Asparagus

Make a double batch of the miso glaze and spread it on everything.
Chicken with Brown Rice, Mushrooms, and Thyme

Hearty, comforting, and nourishing. Tender chicken, fluffy rice, and earthy mushrooms—it’s a classic combination for a reason.
Donabe Italian Wedding Soup

A great excuse to bust out your donabe, but you can also make this in any stockpot or Dutch oven.
Chicken Potpie

For this “cheats” version, we use rotisserie chicken and frozen puff pastry. This significantly cuts down prep time, but the dinner still feels and tastes impressive.
Harissa-Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas with Tahini Yogurt

Crispy chickpeas, creamy sweet potato, and charred cauliflower, all tossed in a garlicky harissa paste and finished with a drizzle of cool tahini yogurt.