You’d be so sorry if you skipped out on these 27 quick weeknight meals

After a long day at work or school, the last thing you want is to spend hours in the kitchen. That’s where these 27 quick weeknight meals come in. Each recipe is designed to take the stress out of dinnertime so you can enjoy more of your evening. These meals are so good and so easy to prepare that you’ll wonder why you ever considered skipping out on them.

Vegetable Stir Fry

Ditch the takeout menu because this vegetable stir fry will become your new go-to on busy nights. It’s a rainbow on a plate, packed with crunchy veggies and coated in a savory sauce that’s both comforting and energizing. Ready in just minutes, it’s a meal that proves fast food can be healthy and delicious.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Stir Fry

Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa

Bringing the unmistakable Chipotle favorite to your kitchen, this corn salsa is a burst of freshness you’d be sorry to skip. Sweet corn kernels mingle with lime, cilantro, and jalapeños for that perfect kick. It’s the ultimate topping for tacos or a vibrant side that turns any meal into a fiesta.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa

Tortilla Pizza

For those nights when pizza cravings hit but time is short, tortilla pizza steps up as a brilliant solution. Thin and crispy, it delivers all the cheesy goodness of traditional pizza without the wait. It’s a canvas for all your favorite toppings, ready in a fraction of the time.
Get the Recipe: Tortilla Pizza

Best Lemon Pasta

This lemon pasta is a game-changer, offering a light yet creamy sauce that’s both refreshing and indulgent. With just a few ingredients, it transforms weeknight dinners into a citrus-infused escape. It’s so quick and delightful; missing out would be a culinary crime.
Get the Recipe: Best Lemon Pasta

25 Minute Black Bean Burger

Forget everything you thought you knew about quick meals with this black bean burger, ready in just 25 minutes. It’s hearty, flavorful, and satisfying, proving that fast food can also be wholesome and packed with nutrition. This burger is a weeknight win, making dinner both easy and exciting.
Get the Recipe: 25 Minute Black Bean Burger

Copycat Chipotle Black Beans

These Chipotle-inspired black beans are a side dish revelation, bringing a smokey depth to any plate. Simmered with spices and a hint of lime, they’re a simple way to add a gourmet touch to your meals. Quick to whip up, they’re a testament to the magic of flavorful, fuss-free cooking.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Chipotle Black Beans

Penne Alla Vodka

This pasta is the comfort food hero you need in your weeknight repertoire. Penne alla vodka has a silky, tomato-cream sauce with just the right amount of vodka kick, making it a dish to remember. It’s surprisingly easy to make, turning any dinner into a special occasion.
Get the Recipe: Penne Alla Vodka

Pizza Salad

Pizza salad is the answer when you can’t decide between a salad and a pizza. It’s a creative mix of crisp greens and pizza toppings, drizzled with a savory dressing. This dish is a weeknight wonder, blending the best of both worlds in a refreshingly tasty way.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Salad

Mashed Potato Fritters

Turn leftover mashed potatoes into something spectacular with these mashed potato fritters. Crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside, they’re a delightful twist on a classic comfort food. They’re so good you’ll start making extra mashed potatoes just to have leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Mashed Potato Fritters

Air Fryer Cheese Quesadilla

This air fryer cheese quesadilla is a revelation, offering up perfectly melted cheese encased in a crispy tortilla. It’s the ultimate comfort food, ready in minutes and customizable with your favorite fillings. A simple, yet satisfying meal that’ll make you wonder how you ever lived without an air fryer.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Cheese Quesadilla

Hash Browns

Starting your day with these crispy hash browns means you’re in for a treat. Golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and steaming on the inside, they’re breakfast perfection. They’re so quick to make that you’ll have no excuse not to indulge in a good breakfast, even on weekdays.
Get the Recipe: Hash Browns

Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad

This salad is a refreshing trio of tomato, cucumber, and onion, making it the perfect quick and easy side dish. Dressed lightly, it complements any meal, adding a crisp, fresh flavor that’s hard to beat. It’s a simple salad that’s big on taste, proving that sometimes, less really is more.
Get the Recipe: Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad

Easy Flatbread Pizza

Whip up an easy flatbread pizza on nights when time is of the essence, but pizza cravings are strong. It’s a blank slate for whatever toppings you have on hand, ready in no time. This meal is a lifesaver, turning a hectic evening into a delightful dinner experience.
Get the Recipe: Easy Flatbread Pizza

Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe is a testament to the beauty of simplicity, combining just pasta, cheese, and pepper to create a dish that’s utterly sublime. It’s elegance and comfort rolled into one, ready in the time it takes to boil pasta. Skipping on this classic would be a missed opportunity to savor one of the best things in life.
Get the Recipe: Cacio e Pepe

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

This Thai sweet chili sauce is a versatile condiment that brings a sweet heat to any dish. Whether it’s drizzled over grilled chicken or used as a dipping sauce, it’s a quick way to add a flavor boost. It’s so delicious and easy to make, you’ll find excuses to include it in every meal.
Get the Recipe: Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Veggie Pizza

For a quick and easy dinner during the week, you can’t go wrong with veggie pizza. This guilt-free pizza is loaded with all your favorite vegetables on a crispy crust, making it a delicious way to enjoy pizza night while still getting the necessary nutrients. You won’t need to convince anyone at the table to have more of this pizza, as it’s so good that they’ll be reaching for more.
Get the Recipe: Veggie Pizza

Spaghetti Marinara

A timeless classic that never displeases, Spaghetti marinara with its rich tomato sauce clinging to every strand of pasta. It’s a dish that brings comfort and joy in equal measure, ready in the blink of an eye. For a meal that feels like a warm hug, you can’t go wrong here.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Marinara

Fried Banana

Sweet and simple, this dessert transforms basic fruit into a decadent treat. Fried bananas are caramelized to perfection, with a crispy exterior and a soft, warm interior. This effortlessly delicious dessert is perfect for ending any meal on a high note.
Get the Recipe: Fried Banana

Easy Burrito

This easy burrito is a compact bundle of joy, filled with all your favorite ingredients. It’s customizable, quick, and the perfect grab-and-go meal for those hectic evenings. One bite, and you’ll be convinced that good things indeed come in small packages.
Get the Recipe: Easy Burrito

7 Layer Salad

There’s a whole universe of textures and flavors in a 7 layer salad, making it the unsung hero of quick dinners. Each layer brings its own unique taste, from crisp greens to creamy dressings, ensuring every bite is a delightful surprise. Skipping this salad on a busy weeknight means missing out on a simple yet satisfying meal that’s as enjoyable to assemble as it is to eat.
Get the Recipe: 7 Layer Salad

Refried Beans

Adding refried beans to any meal is like instantly upping the comfort factor, with their creamy texture and rich flavor. They’re incredibly versatile, serving as a stellar side or the base of countless dishes. Not to mention, whipping them up is a breeze, making them a must-have for those nights when time is tight but flavor is non-negotiable.
Get the Recipe: Refried Beans

Air Fryer Asparagus

Turning asparagus into a crispy, golden treat, the air fryer does wonders for this green veggie. It’s a side dish that’s quick enough for weeknights but fancy enough for guests, proving healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring. Plus, it’s so easy to make, you’ll find yourself reaching for asparagus more often than not.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Asparagus

Crispy Shallots

Sprinkling crispy shallots over your dish is like adding a final touch of magic, instantly elevating the meal with their crunchy texture and sweet, savory flavor. They’re surprisingly easy to make, yet they add a gourmet twist that’ll impress anyone at the table. It’s a little effort for a lot of payoff, making any meal feel a bit more special.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Shallots

Jalapeno Poppers

Bite into this jalapeno popper, where the heat of the pepper meets the melt-in-your-mouth creaminess of the cheese; all encased in a crispy coating. They’re the perfect blend of spicy and comforting, making them an irresistible addition to any weeknight meal. And with how simple they are to whip up, you’ll be looking for excuses to make them all the time.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeno Poppers

Avocado Salad

This avocado salad celebrates all things fresh and vibrant, combining creamy avocados with a mix of crisp veggies and a zesty dressing. It’s a dish that’s as nutritious as it is delicious, perfect for those times when you need a quick yet wholesome meal. The fact that it’s ready in minutes is just the cherry on top, ensuring you don’t miss out on a fantastic eating experience even on the busiest of nights.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Salad

Easy Caprese Salad

The classic Caprese salad, with its simple combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, drizzled with balsamic, is a testament to the beauty of simplicity. It’s a dish that brings a touch of elegance to any meal, showcasing how a few quality ingredients can shine together. Missing out on this easy-to-prepare salad would mean overlooking a dish that epitomizes the joy of summer flavors all year round.
Get the Recipe: Easy Caprese Salad

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

With spaghetti aglio e olio, you have a dish that turns pantry staples into a gourmet meal in minutes, blending garlic, olive oil, and a kick of chili flakes. It embodies simple ingredients coming together to create something utterly delicious and comforting. This pasta proves that you don’t need a lot of time or ingredients to whip up a meal that feels like a warm hug on a plate.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio