34 Fun Dinner Ideas You'll Look Forward to Cooking

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
• Serves: 2 to 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Pull-Apart Cheese Bread, Cheesy Herb Stuffed Naan

There’s nothing I love more than a runny egg at dinner time (or anytime), and this flavor-packed dish from Kiano Moju’s cookbook, AfriCali has plenty of kick—its name comes from an African chili sauce, after all—and can easily feed a crowd. It’s also a highly customizable one-pan wonder: “The eggs are beaten with a combination of finely chopped fresh veggies so that it all cooks together [to] make a sharing pan of eggs, typically interchanging the onion and garlic depending on what I have on hand,” writes Moju. So yeah, experiment away—and be sure to serve it with some nice bread for dipping.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, high protein, low sugar, <500 calories
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Hoisin-Ginger Noodles, Dan Dan Noodles

This adaptation of a beloved Chinese-American dish comes together with basic ingredients that are easy to procure and the end result is a delightfully colorful (and flavorful!) meal that you can enjoy in the blink of an eye. To further reduce the time involved on a busy weeknight, slice the bell peppers ahead of time. You’ll be grateful that you have everything ready to hit the pan at the end of a long work day or a late night out.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Like It: instant pot, <30 minutes, high protein
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Roasted Indian-Spiced Vegetables With Lime-Cilantro Butter, Indian Salad Bowl With Crispy Chickpeas

“I’ve avoided Indian restaurants since I’ve been keto, mostly because I don’t trust myself around naan bread. Luckily, this recipe for butter chicken gives me all the same tastes far away from the bread basket. I like to pair it with sautéed cauliflower rice and additional cilantro to complete the experience,” writes Jen Fisch in her cookbook Keto in an Instant. Truth be told, you’ll crave this dish even if you aren’t cutting carbs.

• Time Commitment: 17 minutes
• Why I Like It: low carb, <500 calories, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Skillet Roast Chicken With Schmaltzy Potatoes, Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers With Tzatziki

“They are easy to make–no special ‘cheffy’ skills needed–and they are the perfect carrier for whatever toppings or filling you like,” writes recipe developer Suzy Karadsheh of her mouthwatering recipe for mediterranean-inspired stuffed zucchini boats. In addition to being vegetarian-friendly and highly customizable, these guys score major points for presentation and will surely impress anyone at your table.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, high protein, low sugar
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Rainbow Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta; Roasted Eggplant Panzanella With Capers, Olives and Pine Nuts

“There’s just seven ingredients (not including olive oil, salt, or pepper), and the only thing you’re cooking is the pasta. I love that you can literally just throw all of the other ingredients into a bowl, toss it with the cooked pasta, and voila! Dinner is served,” writes recipe author Heidi Larsen of Foodie Crush. I must admit, I share her enthusiasm for an almost no-cook pasta dinner that comes together with pantry staples.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, <30 minutes, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 4 to 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Dukkah-Crusted Fried Cauliflower Steaks, Asparagus and Artichoke Paella

Consider this another winning recipe from Larsen that will make you plenty of friends at a potluck or picnic. “This tahini pasta salad is chock-full of fresh veggies and healthy ingredients. It’s also vegetarian yet super filling, making it perfect for a light lunch or dinner,” she writes. I recommend making a big batch, taking some to work with you and then enjoying the rest for a totally hands-off dinner. Oh, and if you don’t need it to be vegetarian, definitely toss in some shrimp.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, high protein, make ahead
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Instant Pot Carrot Ginger Soup, Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Whenever I am in a dinner rut, I love branching out and exploring Asian-inspired recipes. My husband and I also eat a ton of seafood, so let’s just say that Larsen’s recipe for seared Ahi tuna and avocado salad definitely caught my eye. It also seems like a low-effort, high-reward recipe: “[just] get a nice sear on sushi-grade Ahi tuna steaks, then drizzle them with an Asian salsa made with avocado, sesame, lime, citrus, and jalapeño…[then serve it up with] some steamed green beans and rice on the side, to make it a meal,” she writes. Done and done.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, <30 minutes, high protein
• Serves: 4 to 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Orange Flower Olive Oil Cake, Chopped Italian Salad Pizza

Ah, gnocchi, how I love thee. These pillowy soft potato dumplings are the ultimate comfort food in my opinion, particularly when they’re swimming in a creamy chicken soup. Best of all, this one relies on store bought gnocchi and rotisserie chicken so it couldn’t be easier to accomplish. Just don’t forget a generous handful of spinach for each serving—it will make you feel better about the indulgence.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, vegan, <500 calories
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Buckwheat Gnocchi with Cabbage, Potatoes and Fontina; Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup

Aran Goyoaga, author of the new cookbook Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple, is a goddess among gluten-free gourmands. ”This recipe for a hearty salad boasts an incredible combination of flavors and textures. Best of all, it will suffice as a main course and makes an excellent side for roast meat, too. A pro tip, courtesy of Goyoaga, is to “[double] the pine nut cream so you have extra in the refrigerator to use for other salads or to serve alongside eggs and crudité.” Roger that.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, gluten-free, vegan
• Serves: 2 people
• Pairs Well With: Quinoa and Vegetable Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, 40-Minute Saag Paneer

In case you missed it, “golden milk” refers to milk (or something creamy) that is infused with turmeric, and the elixir boasts many health benefits. This recipe from Liz Moody’s cookbook, Healthier Together: Recipes for Two—Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships, uses golden milk to create a savory daal dinner with just the right amount of heat. As for the aforementioned health benefits, Moody writes that the dish has “plenty of anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting spices, like ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, but the real secret is the garlic, [because] when garlic is chopped and left to sit for 20 minutes, an enzymatic reaction occurs that makes it one of the most potent antiviral and antibacterial agents around.” So, if you feel a cold coming on, give this daal a shot.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Why I Like It: vegan, <500 calories, low sugar, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Cheesy Bread, Vegan Mushroom Shawarma

The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting in this recipe from Urvashi Pitre’s book, Instant Pot Miracle Vegetarian Cookbook, and the end result is actually miraculous. The best part is the kicky harissa flavor, but not all harissa is created equal. “Many harissa recipes use tomatoes or peppers,” Pitre writes. “I prefer my paste to be straight-up spice. Taste it once and you will find a million different uses for this lovely, spicy, versatile mix.” I’ve tasted it and can attest to its superiority, but feel free to use store-bought harissa if you want to take a shortcut. (I won’t tell.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: vegetarian-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, one pan
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Miso Matzoh Ball Soup, Beet Hummus

If you and yours are groaning at the thought of having pasta for dinner again, I strongly suggest you scoop up some frozen pierogies with a filling of your choice, and then throw together this exceedingly easy dinner, which gets a healthy and flavorful boost from beautifully caramelized cabbage wedges and onions, plus a dreamy dill sauce that you’ll surely find many other uses for. File this one under ‘easiest weeknight dinner of all time.’

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, low carb, low sugar, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 8 people
• Pairs Well With: Harissa Chickpea Stew with Eggplant and Millet, Easy Homemade Hummus with Za’atar Pita Chips

“I zhuzhed up ranch with Greek yogurt, fresh herbs and tahini for a decadently rich sauce to smother golden brown florets of roasted cauliflower,” says chef and recipe developer Jake Cohen while talking us through his craveable preparation for roasted cauliflower. “My favorite part is the little kick you get from the Aleppo pepper, a Syrian variety that adds the perfect amount of heat, only to be cooled off by the ranch.” My suggestion? Make twice the amount of ranch so you can have leftovers to use for potatoes, sandwiches or even as a marinade for meat.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Like It: vegetarian, high protein, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4 to 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Leek Bread, Mini Cranberry Pot Pies

“This recipe takes a classic broccoli cheddar soup and transforms it into a heartier, stewy bean number,” writes Carolina Gelen of this recipe from her cookbook Pass the Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes, adding that “[she] wanted to incorporate that comforting feel of a broccoli cheddar soup into something with more body and texture. Canned butter beans were the perfect addition…I love the way they hold their shape, even when simmered in a sauce.” (Psst: If you don’t have butter beans on hand, garbanzo beans or Great Northern beans make suitable substitutes.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: vegan, <500 calories, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8 people
• Pairs Well With: Stuffed Eggplant; Carrot, Fennel and Miso Soup

According to Chef Nisha Vora, recipe creator and author of The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes, “this is the ultimate winter comfort food.” And as far as vegetarian main dishes go, I’m inclined to agree—namely because the rich cashew cream, hearty lentils, and tender, caramelized vegetables combine to make a meal that truly leaves you wanting for nothing (including meat).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Like It: high protein, kid-friendly, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 8 people
• Pairs Well With: Chopped Grilled Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Rainbow Chard and Roasted Pine Nut Salad

Embrace your inner child with a casserole consisting of gooey grilled cheese sandwiches lightly dressed with creamy tomato soup. This is the kind of comfort food that will make the crowd go wild.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <500 calories
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Grilled Avocado Caprese Salad, Mexican Caesar Salad

I first tasted this recipe at a friend’s house and immediately texted to find out the source. Since then, I have made it countless times for my family and still get regular requests for it because it’s just that good. Or in the words of Jamie Sherman of Love Bakes Good Cakes, “Elote Pizza is everything you love about elote piled onto a freshly baked pizza! Charred corn, chili powder, chipotle mayo, cilantro, and lots of cheese.” And believe me, there’s a lot to love. For what it’s worth, I don’t fuss with homemade pizza dough for this. I simply hit up the local pizzeria on my way home and buy some of their dough, but the kids have a lot of fun rolling it out and helping me get it in the pan.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: low carb, vegetarian-friendly, <500 calories
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Molly Baz’s Pickle Chicken, Crispy Chicken Thighs over Vinegar Beans

Calling all carb-conscious eaters, this spaghetti squash primavera is a refreshing, gluten-free alternative to pasta. Even if you’re not concerned with carbs, a spaghetti squash twist on a favorite Italian dish is a nice departure from the ordinary, and it’s a breeze to make in either an Instant Pot or oven.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Like It: low sugar, low carb, vegetarian-friendly
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken, Turmeric White Fish with Peanuts and Chili-Lime Cucumber

Coconut, turmeric and lime are essential ingredients in many Southeast Asian dishes and it’s no surprise, since the flavor combination is truly dreamy. This comforting, creamy and brightly flavored vegetarian recipe is proof of that. For best results, I recommend being generous with the cilantro garnish, as it adds a beautiful, herbaceous note that really harmonizes with the rest of the ingredients.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, <500 calories, one pan
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Gluten-Free Cheese and Cauliflower 'Bread' Sticks, Baked Eggs and Zoodles with Avocado

A sesame oil and soy sauce marinade make for wonderfully seasoned chicken in this exceedingly quick and easy weeknight dinner. The rainbow-colored presentation of the perfectly fork-tender roast veggies is the icing on the cake and visually appealing enough that you might even get your kids to eat them. Best of all, the simplicity of this recipe can’t be beat—and because it only requires on pan, you won’t have to slave over a sink full of dishes, either.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Why I Like It: <500 calories, low carb, high protein
• Serves: 10 people
• Pairs Well With: Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Herbed White Wine Sauce, Curried Parsnip-Apple Soup

“This turkey roulade is actually better if you assemble it in advance because the flavors—prosciutto, fennel seeds, garlic, fresh sage and rosemary—all permeate the turkey. This is classic comfort food with the volume turned up,” says Ina Garten of this recipe from her cookbook, Modern Comfort Food. I say it tastes like a top-notch Thanksgiving dinner…and that’s something to be grateful for at any time of year.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, low sugar, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Vegan Avocado Caesar Salad, Thai Veggie Salad

Bring the fresh and healthful cuisine of Japan to your kitchen with this recipe from Anthony Porowski’s cookbook,  Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner. If you’re taken aback by the idea of combining salmon and tea, allow Porowski to explain: At its most basic, this dish, known as ochazuke, is made by pouring hot green tea over rice. For a nourishing meal, I top the rice with broiled salmon (or arctic char) seasoned with sesame oil and then ladle over a tea and chicken broth blend. I prefer jasmine green tea, but you can use whatever green tea you like.” Indeed, the herbal notes from the savory green tea broth really take this rice bowl to the next level. If you’re looking to make your salmon dinners a little less snoozy, this one fits the bill.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Why I Like It: instant pot, high protein, low sugar
• Serves: 4 to 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Blistered Green Beans with Bacon Vinaigrette, Chilled Cucumber Salad

This Instant Pot recipe has all the creamy, hearty decadence of chicken pot pie without the fussy puff pastry. The pressure-cooking method yields a rich, deep flavor that would otherwise take several hours to accomplish and the simple dumpling recipe is totally foolproof.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Why I Like It: high protein, low carb, low sugar, <500 calories
• Serves: 6 to 8 people
• Pairs Well With: Garlicky Spinach and Chickpea Soup, Coconut Creamed Spinach

Anna Stockwell’s lemongrass-ginger coconut grilled steak (from her cookbook, For the Table) is a flavor bomb that will pull anyone out of a boring dinner rut. The secret ingredient here is fish sauce, which adds tons of umami flavor. That said, it’s equally important that you cut the steak properly before serving: “Turn your section of skirt steak so that the stripes of the grain go side to side in front of you instead of up and down, and then slice it into strips through those stripes, which will mean you’re cutting it lengthwise,” Stockwell explains. Follow this advice for an oh-so tender treat.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Why I Like It: low carb, high protein, <500 calories
• Serves: 8 people
• Pairs Well With: Grapefruit Lime Spritzer, Spring Crudites with Romesco Sauce

“My family and I love enchiladas, and we wanted to do something that was a little healthier,” recipe developer Erin McDowell tells us. “By eliminating the tortillas, this version is super low carb. And it reheats really well, so you can make a big pan and eat them over several days.” It’s a meal prep must-have, honestly.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, Spring Panzanella Salad

This recipe from Everyday Entertaining by Elizabeth Van Lierde is a refreshing alternative to other tried (or should we say tired) and true salmon preparations. Best of all, this salmon dinner can be prepped ahead, making it an ideal and exceedingly easy weeknight dinner, as well as a go-to when you’re hosting. Don’t take my word for it, though: Van Lierde rights that “[her] favorite part about this dish is that [she] can prep everything the morning of, pop it into the refrigerator and bake it before people arrive. It’s the most unfussy, delicious meal that will leave everyone asking for the recipe.”

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, high protein, low sugar
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Smoked Gouda and Scallion Mashed Potatoes, Skillet Cornbread with Cheddar and Scallions

Serve these colorful skewers up at a summer barbeque for a fool-proof meal that will please a crowd. And be sure to make extra chimichurri sauce because its kicky, herbaceous flavor profile will brighten up just about anything you throw on the grill.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Garlic Bread, Celery Salad with Walnuts and Pecorino

Another comfort food casserole, this take on lasagna features polenta instead of noodles, which means less fuss for the chef and just as much satisfaction for the guests. Oh, and did I mention that the meat ragu is truly divine and a total breeze to make, to boot?

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: beginner-friendly, high protein, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Green Pineapple Smoothie with Mint and Basil, Cantaloupe-Mint Sorbet

This isn’t the Maruchan ramen from your dorm room days, but you’ll be delighted to know that it doesn’t take much more effort to whip up this more sophisticated version of the classic Japanese noodle dish, thanks to a little shortcut in the form of store-bought rotisserie chicken. It’s also highly customizable. (I love cilantro and a fried egg in mine, but you do you.)

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, high protein, <500 calories
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad, Melon Salad with Chili Powder and Mint

Once you’re hooked on the above ramen recipe, you should branch out and experiment with some other Eastern-inspired soups. Here, the classic Vietnamese noodle soup pho is made keto-friendly with zoodles used in place of the traditional rice noodles. The recipe is perfect as written, but Maya Krampf of Wholesome Yum notes that “the toppings are all optional and personal preference, [so they] are not included in the 10 ingredients.” Feel free to play around and add extra toppings as you see fit.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours 5 minutes
• Why I Like It: slow cooker, kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Homemade Potato Chips, Creamy Kale Caesar Salad

I dip, you dip, we dip. Indeed, I am a sucker for a meaty French dip sandwich, and this recipe is beyond compare. The secret is that “the meat is cooked low and slow, sliced then put back in the slow cooker so it drinks up all the juices and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender,” explains Jennifer Sattley of Carlsbad Cravings. The use of the slow cooker also means you can set it and forget it, and then come home to a very memorable meal.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Like It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, high protein, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 4 to 5 people
• Pairs Well With: Asparagus Caesar Salad, Crispy Roasted Artichokes

Another winning dish from Carlsbad Cravings, but this time with seafood instead of steak. “The mahi mahi is spice-rubbed then pan-seared until golden then bathed in an intoxicating, creamy lemon, garlic sauce. It looks and tastes fancy but is super quick and easy to make,” writes Jennifer Sattley. I have a strong suspicion that this cream sauce is the kind you’d want to slurp from a spoon.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours (slow cooker time)
• Why I Like It: instant pot, slow cooker, make ahead, gluten-free
• Serves: 4 people
• Pairs Well With: Corn and Tomato Salad with Feta and Lime, Marinated White Bean and Tomato Salad

“The Salsa Verde Shredded Beef is so savory and has such great flavor, you could serve it in so many ways: stuff it in a sweet potato or poblano pepper, in lettuce cups for tacos, or even over a taco-style salad. The possibilities are endless,” writes recipe developer Alex Snodgrass of The Defined Dish. And what better antidote to a dinner rut than a versatile dish, am I right?

• Time Commitment: 4 hours (slow cooker time)
• Why I Like It: gluten-free, dairy-free, slow cooker, <500 calories, instant pot
• Serves: 6 people
• Pairs Well With: Swedish Hasselback Potatoes, Biscuit Loaf with Honey Butter

Chicken thighs and rice? Chicken Parmesan? Boring. Spice things up with this innovative slow cooker curry, which relies on a combination of pumpkin, coconut milk and red curry paste to make an intoxicating curry base that’s sure to breathe new life into those snoozy chicken breasts you have hanging around in your freezer.