Monday night magic: 23 easy dinners to kick off the week!

Photo of author

| Published:

Ah, Monday evenings. We all know the feeling: the weekend is a distant memory, and the whole week stretches ahead. Cooking a complicated meal? Probably the last thing on your mind. But what if we told you that starting your week with a bang doesn’t require hours in the kitchen?

From skillets bursting with flavor to one-pan wonders, we’ve rounded up 23 easy Monday night meals to kick your week off right. Dive in, discover a new favorite, and let’s make Mondays something to truly look forward to!

Ground beef cabbage stir fry in a bowl with chopsticks.
Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Sheet Pan Pork Chop Dinner

Uncomplicate your Monday night with these pork chops. Paired with veggies and baked together, it’s a straightforward dish ensuring a tasty start to the week with minimal cleanup.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Pork Chop Dinner

Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry

Kickstart your week effortlessly with this quick stir fry. Ground pork and cabbage unite for a flavorful yet uncomplicated dish, making Monday dinners something to look forward to.
Get the Recipe: Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry

Sheet Pan Steak & Shrimp Fajitas

Mondays just got surfier and turfier. These fajitas, blending steak and shrimp, ensure a swift and delectable start to the week, proving that Monday dinners can be easy yet lavish.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Steak & Shrimp Fajitas

Skillet Lamb Chops with Cipollini Onions

Transform your Monday with these skillet lamb chops. Paired with cipollini onions and a refreshing tarragon sauce, it’s an uncomplicated yet luxurious start to your culinary week.
Get the Recipe: Skillet Lamb Chops with Cipollini Onions

Ground beef and sweet potato skillet.
Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet

Embrace simplicity after a long Monday. This one-pan dish blends ground beef and sweet potato, serving up comfort in less time, ensuring you’re rejuvenated for the week.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet

Spicy Mango Chicken Skillet

Turn up the heat without the added cooking time. This spicy mango chicken skillet offers a fusion of flavors, ensuring your Monday night meal is a quick yet unforgettable affair.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Mango Chicken Skillet

Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet

Revitalize Monday dinners with this Asian-inspired skillet. The combination of beef and cabbage promises a flavorful meal without the usual prep time, letting you ease into the week effortlessly.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet

Beef and broccoli stir fry served with white rice on a white plate.
Shaved Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Shaved Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Jumpstart your week with this effortless stir-fry. Thinly sliced beef and broccoli cook rapidly, ensuring a faster alternative to takeout, perfect for those Monday night time-crunches.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Creamy Pumpkin Garlic Pasta

Experience the comfort of fall on a Monday. This pasta dish, merging pumpkin with garlic, provides a creamy delight without the typical cooking ordeal, ensuring an easy transition into the week.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Garlic Pasta

Simple Skillet Pork Chops

Mondays deserve uncomplicated delights. With this easy pork chop recipe, you’re guaranteed tender results without spending hours in the kitchen, leaving more time for Monday evening relaxation.
Get the Recipe: Simple Skillet Pork Chops

Maple mustard chicken breasts with brussels sprouts, squash and cranberries.
Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Chicken. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Chicken

Simplify your Monday with this sheet pan dish. Combining maple, mustard, and chicken, it’s a one-pan solution to the usual prolonged Monday night cooking, making mealtime a breeze.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Chicken

Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

Reinvent Monday dinners with this skillet. Combining turkey, sweet potato, and veggies, it promises a nutritious yet simple start to the week, ensuring Mondays feel less daunting.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

Thai basil cashew chicken in a cast iron skillet.
Thai Basil Cashew Chicken Skillet. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Thai Basil Cashew Chicken Skillet

Experience Thai flavors without the lengthy cooking. This cashew chicken skillet, bursting with basil, provides a swift and sumptuous solution to Monday night meals.
Get the Recipe: Thai Basil Cashew Chicken Skillet

Gochujang Chicken

Mondays get spicier with this quick chicken dish. Infused with gochujang sauce, it’s a 30-minute meal that offers a zesty start to the week without the typical cooking marathon.
Get the Recipe: Gochujang Chicken

Smoky Steak Potato & Pepper Skillet

Dive into a hearty meal without the lengthy prep. This steak-potato skillet offers a smoky flavor that fills your Monday evening with warmth, all while keeping the effort minimal.
Get the Recipe: Smoky Steak Potato & Pepper Skillet

Mexican ground beef skillet recipe with melted cheese.
Mexican Ground Beef Skillet. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Mexican Ground Beef Skillet

Infuse your Monday with Mexican zest without the hassle. Ready in just 30 minutes, this beef skillet ensures you get to unwind sooner, gearing up for the days ahead.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Ground Beef Skillet

Garlic Chicken Bite Skillet

Mondays get easier with this 20-minute dish. Garlic-infused chicken bites paired with vegetables make for a quick, hearty meal, allowing more relaxation time after a day’s work.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Chicken Bite Skillet

Greek Shrimp Skillet

No prolonged cooking on a Monday night. Dive into flavors of the Mediterranean in just 30 minutes with this shrimp skillet, a refreshing change from the usual weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Greek Shrimp Skillet

Ground beef stir fry in a skillet.
Ground Beef Stir Fry. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Ground Beef Stir Fry

Simplify your Monday night with this one-pan wonder. Packed with vegetables and beef, it’s quicker than ordering takeout, ensuring you get a wholesome meal without the wait.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Stir Fry

Buffalo Turkey Cauliflower Skillet

No Monday blues with this 4-ingredient skillet. Combining buffalo turkey and cauliflower, it promises minimal fuss and maximum flavor, setting the right tone for the week ahead.
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Turkey Cauliflower Skillet

Vegetable Bean Skillet

For a meatless Monday option, this skillet is ideal. Loaded with veggies and beans, it provides a filling meal without the fuss, ensuring you start the week on a light, energizing note.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Bean Skillet

Spatchcock chicken with peri peri seasoning on a baking sheet with green beans and sweet potatoes.
Sheet Pan Roasted Peri Peri Chicken. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Sheet Pan Roasted Peri Peri Chicken

Spice up your Monday effortlessly with this peri peri chicken. Using the spatchcock method for quicker cooking, it’s a zesty, one-pan meal that sets the week’s culinary tone without the usual fuss.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Roasted Peri Peri Chicken

Spicy Skillet Lamb Ragu

Enrich your Monday menu with this spicy lamb ragu. Despite its deep flavors, it remains a straightforward one-skillet dish, ensuring an easy start to your culinary week.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Skillet Lamb Ragu

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.