40 Dinner Ideas for Tonight (2024)

What’s for dinner? Try these dinner ideas for tonight! The recipes are fun, easy, and guaranteed to please everyone around the table.

What’s for dinner? Often there are nights when you’re all out of inspiration and need food on the table fast (we get it!). So here are lots of dinner ideas for tonight! These recipes are easy, fast and healthy ideas for getting food on the table. There are ultra simple recipes like quesadillas and tuna melts, and fancier spins like Cajun salmon or poke bowls. But get this: most of them take around 30 minutes or less to make! Ready to get started?

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Quick Burrito Bowl

Here’s aquick dinner ideathat’salwayssatisfying and works for nearly every diet. That’s right, the good oldBurrito Bowl! Throw rice, veggies, and burrito fillings in a bowl and call it meal! Want a burrito bowl that’slightening fastto make? We’ve got you.

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Quesadillas in the Oven

Need dinner ideas for tonight? Try quesadillas in the oven! This recipe makes the humble solo meal into a delicious dinner, resulting in a big batch all at once on a sheet pan. All the quesadillas are done at the same time, and they come out with a beautifully crispy exterior. In fact, it feels like a whole new version of this classic. Add dipping sauces and it's a quick meal everyone can enjoy.

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Tuscan Salmon

There aresalmon recipesand then there’sthiscreamy Tuscan salmon, which we like to call “Marry Me Salmon!” The tender fish is bathed in a luscious cream sauce with garlic, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and capers, making each bite bright, salty, and luxurious.

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Easy Black Bean Chili

Introducing our new favorite easy dinner idea…thisBlack Bean Chilirecipe! It’s beyond simple to make, and the flavor isoutstanding. (We hope you’ll agree.) It’s got a hint of smokiness to highlight the tangy tomatoes and savory black beans. Top it with your favorite toppings, and it’s so hearty and savory, you’ll forget it’s healthy, too.

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Honey Garlic Shrimp

Try thisHoney Garlic Shrimprecipe! There’s nothing like the sweet savory combination of honey garlic glaze and juicy shrimp. The best part?It takes 10 minutes to make. This dinner idea hits all the comforting, satisfying notes with a lightning fast prep speed. It’s hard to find those recipes with that elusive trifecta of healthy,easyand delicious: and this one has it in spades.

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Cheese Tortellini in Creamy Marinara

Need quick dinner ideas? Try thischeese tortellini in creamy marinara sauce! In just 15 minutes, you’ve got a pasta skillet that’s a literalsymphonyflavor. The fresh basil-infused marinara sauce is perfectly complimented with pillows of tangy goat cheese.

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Lemon Garlic Chicken

If there’s one recipe that’s a sure hit in our house, it’s creamy chicken skillets. And this one is an absolute family favorite: try thiscreamy lemon garlic chicken! The chicken is coated in spices and pan fried until tender and juicy, then topped with a quick pan sauce made with lemon, garlic and a little cream.

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Easy Chickpea Curry

Everyone is always asking for easy weeknight dinner ideas. Guess what: so are we! The two of us are always experimenting and on the lookout for the best concepts for quick andsimple dinner recipes. So we present: our favoriteeasy weeknight dinner: thischickpea curry! It takes only about 20 minutes to make! Warm spices and coconut milk make it one the most tastiest things you can make in that short time window—hands down.

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Greek Chicken

Here’s a recipe that’s a total winner every night of the week:Greek chicken! We’re suckers for impressive-looking one pan meals, and thisMediterranean-style mealhas charisma in spades. Bake the chicken with tomatoes, olives, garlic, lemon, and feta cheese, and it comes out with beautiful bold flavors.

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Chicken Enchiladas

Here’s a crowd-pleasing dinner recipe to put in your rotation:chicken enchiladas recipe! It’s hard to find someone who will turn down this Tex Mex favorite. Each enchilada is stuffed withshredded chickenand cheese, then drowned in a zingyred sauceand baked until warm and gooey.

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Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

You know those recipes where people rave and only you know the secret that it’s actually easy to make? That’s the case with thisCreamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta! There’s major wow-factor to this pasta, which comes together in just 30 minutes. Earthy, fruity sundried tomatoes lend a meaty quality to thiseasy vegetarian dish, which is bathed in a Parmesancream sauce.

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Best Baked Salmon

A lot of recipes claim to be the best baked salmon, but this one lives up to the hype. Meet the verybest baked salmon recipe! The tender fillet is perfectly seasoned with brown sugar and spices and has a lovely crisp topping, a feat for baked salmon which can often turn out mushy and under-seasoned. After years of makingsalmon recipes, we’ve taken all our knowledge and rolled it into this master recipe

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Creamy Tuscan Chicken

If we could eat just one dinner for the rest of our lives, this might be it: a skillet ofcreamy Tuscan chicken! What is it that makes it so outrageously good? Maybe it’s the dreamy sauce of sun dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and Parmesan, or the savory flavor explosion from the pan seared chicken breast. Either way, it’s beyond delicious, you can whip it up in 30 minutes, and it will please absolutely everyone. Get ready for the chicken dinner of your dreams!

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Easy Black Bean Soup

Try thisQuick Black Bean Soup! Using canned beans makes it possible to whip up this tasty soup in 30 minutes. It’s creamy, garlicky and hearty, and a big bowl feels positively restorative. Top it with pico de gallo for a bright and zingy contrast in flavors. Serve it with aquesadilla as a quick meal.

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Eggplant Rollatini

Here’s a delightful Italian eggplant dish that makes dinnertime more special:Eggplant Rollatini! It’s like a combination ofeggplant Parmesanandlasagna roll ups. Tender strips of eggplant are wrapped around a creamy three-cheese filling, then baked in homemade tomato sauce and more cheese. They’re extremely satisfying and make for the best showstopping dinner!

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Broccoli Mac and Cheese

The best way to eat mac and cheese, in our opinion?Broccoli mac and cheese! Why eat broccoli on the side when you can stir it right in? This makes a tasty one pot meatless meal that kids and adults alike will go mad for. It comes out creamy, cheesy, and loaded with broccoli for a dose of nutrients and fiber.

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5-Minute Seared Ahi Tuna

There is nothing quite like seared tuna as an easy dinner idea! Seared ahi tuna is one of the most delicious foods on the planet, and it literally cooks in less than 5 minutes! Put it together with leftover veg or rice and you’ve got a quick dinner.

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Easy Mushroom Tacos

Here’s a quick and easy taco dinner idea for tonight: try theseMushroom Tacos! Portobello mushrooms have enormous savory flavor: throw them in a skillet with some punchy seasonings and they make plant-based magic. This recipe is for when you have just a few minutes to throw together a meal: combine those portobellos with creamy refried beans and the quickest slaw, and you’ve got dinner!

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Crispy Tofu

Over the years, we’ve become huge fans of tofu. And here’s a way to prepare it that we cannot get enough of: thiscrispy tofurecipe! It’s easy to make and comes out perfectly seasoned, with extra crunchy edges and a tender interior. There’s no need to even press the tofu! It’s actually pretty amazing that it can go from bland to meaty, savory cubes in just 20 minutes.

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Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus

A dinner idea for tonight: make sheet pansalmon and asparagus! It’s simple, it’s elegant, but it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant. Roasting it up on a sheet pan with lemon slices and fresh herbs adds effortless flavor that feels fresh yet refined.

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Easy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs

Need dinner in a hurry? Enterpan fried chicken thighs! It’s hard to find meal that comes together quickly with little fuss, but this one is an absolute game changer. All you need is a simple blend of spices and this comes together in just about 20 minutes! This one is a huge hit at our house and perfect for when you need to get dinner on the table fast. Here are all the tricks to a simple dinner!

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Naan Pizza

When we need a super quick dinner, we think naan pizza! Get this: it’s faster than delivery pizza, healthier,andit tastes better. So why order out when you can make tasty pizza in? It’s for those nights where you need dinner on the table without thinking too hard. Packaged naan bread is easy to find these days, making it easy to run to the store on a naan pizza run.

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Classic Tuna Melt

Some nights call for beyond easy dinner ideas that taste incredible, and this one is it. Is it odd to count a tuna melt in your “best of” foods? It might sound basic or ordinary. But this tuna melt: this is the stuff dreams are made of. Between crusty bread is sandwiched a creamy, gooey mess so perfectly seasoned that you won’t be able to stop taking bites.

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Creamy Spinach Pasta

Want to eat your greens and love it? Try thiscreamy spinach pasta recipe, starring chewy al dente pasta and an irresistible Parmesan garlic cream sauce! The way the creamy sauce and garlic accentuate the leafy greens makes it one of our topvegetarian pasta recipesto date. Cozy up to a bowl and it’s positively life-giving.

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Easy Frittata Recipe

Got eggs and need a meal? Enter,The Frittata! A frittata is an Italian dish that’s best described as a crustless egg pie. It’s often served for breakfast or brunch, but it works for dinner too. You can eat it at any temperature and it saves well: and it’s great for using up odds and ends in your veggie drawer.

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Cajun Salmon

Want a salmon dinner recipe to impress? ThisCajun Salmonis so tender and full of savory flavor, everyone around the table will fall head over heels. This beautiful piece of fish has a crispy blackened top, seasoned with a special blend of homemade Cajun spices. It packs a bit of heat, just enough to make you immediately want another bite. Even better: pan searing salmon is the fastest and easiest way to cook it!

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Amazing Egg Tacos

Looking for a 5-minute dinner idea for tonight? Meet theseAmazing Egg Tacos! This is one of our favorite kitchen tricks and we’re so excited to share it with you. Did you know that eggs can taste like taco meat? Yes, somehow the spicedscrambled eggsfilling channels the flavor of taco meat plus chorizo.

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Classic Shrimp Fajitas

Looking for an easy, tasty 30 minute meal that’s a hit every time? Try these classicShrimp Fajitas! Every time we serve these, they get rave reviews from everyone around the table. Thefajita veggiesare seasoned to perfection, and the shrimp are juicy and buttery. Throw them in a tortilla and spritz with lime, and each bite makes you want to do a happy dance.

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Easy BBQ Tofu

Here’s a must-make dinner idea for tofu fans: and eaters on the fence, too. Try this irresistibleBBQ Tofurecipe! Each bite has just the right chewy texture, bathed in a silky, sweet, savory sauce. You’ll want to keep eating it for days. This recipe is easy to put together and you can serve it on a plate or in sandwich form.

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Mushroom Pasta with Parmesan

Calling all mushroom lovers! Here’s the meal for you: thisMushroom Pasta with Garlic Butter Sauce! It’s creamy and savory, harnessing the power of lemon, butter and Parmesan cheese. It makes the most of the intense umami of mushrooms: one of the most powerful ingredients in all of cooking. This dish has just the right proportion of ‘shrooms to pasta, so that each bite has a generous pop of flavor.

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Ultimate Taco Salad

Here’s an easy dinner idea for tonight that will plase just about everyone:Taco Salad! This Tex-Mex salad has been impressing for decades, and it gives us all the 1990’s nostalgic vibes. It’scustomizable for any eater and easy to scale up for a crowd. Here are the tricks to how to make thebesttaco salad…that’s pretty darn healthy, too!

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Coconut Tofu Curry

Here’s a dinner idea that takes just 30 minutes and results in so much flavor…you’ll put it on your regular rotation immediately. Try thisTofu Curryrecipe! The brilliant red broth is flavored with coconut milk and red curry paste, with the zing of lime and a hint of spicy sweetness. The Thai-style flavors are the perfect way to introduce tofu to those wary of it. And if you’re already a lover (like us!), you’ll appreciate this delightfully colorful way to serve it.

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Creamy Tortellini Soup

Here’s a soup that will make people come flocking and might result in a few marriage proposals: this creamytortellini soup! This is one for the books. You can make it in under 30 minutes, and the flavor that results is simply killer. Tomatoes, basil, Parmesan and cream make a lusciously flavored broth that floats with doughy orbs of tortellini.

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Poke Bowl Recipe

Poke bowls are fun and easy to make for dinner! This Hawaiian bowl of seasoned raw fish, rice and crunchy veggies has caught on here on the mainland, and everybody’s doing it! Because poke isthat good. And guess what? You can easily make poke in the comfort of your own home.

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Ultimate Nachos Recipe

Does nachos count as a dinner idea? Because on crazy weeknights, we think it does! This Tex Mex favorite is one of life’s great pleasures, and we’re here for them. Here’s the best part about ourUltimate Nachos Recipe:it works for any diet.We’ve got a variation for meat eaters, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free eaters!

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Easy Pizza Soup

Try pizza soup as a dinner idea for tonight! The broth is flavored with pizza sauce, tomatoes, and a little Parmesan to make it creamy. The toppings are swimming along inside: bell peppers, garlic and mushrooms, making for a savory pop that surprises you in every bite. Serve withgarlic toast,grilled cheeseor simply crusty bread.

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Cauliflower Stir Fry

Looking for a healthy dinner idea for tonight? Here’s a veggie-packed idea: this cauliflower stir fry! Fry the florets until lightly charred and tender, then add bell peppers and a punchy stir fry sauce. It’s the best way to make eating your veggies irresistible! See the protein adder ideas in the recipe.

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Smoked Salmon Salad

Here’s a genius trick that makes afast dinnerorhealthy lunchwithno cooking required. That’s right, no need to grab your pan and spatula. Try thisSmoked Salmon Salad! It’s healthy, fresh, and 100% cook free. Imagine: savory smoked salmon, fresh greens, fluffy goat cheese dollops and a tangyshallot vinaigrette. It comes together in 15 minutes flat.

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Easy Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Here’s one of the easiest dinner ideas for tonight...ever. Try this chickpea salad sandwich! It’s basically a vegetarian chicken salad sandwich (aka chickpea tuna salad!). Mash the chickpeas with mayo and a few seasonings, and it makes the tastiest sandwich filling!

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Pesto Cavatappi

Thispesto cavatappirecipe is a tasty dinner idea that everyone around the table will love! Make a quick and easy pesto cream sauce, then drench the curly noodles and add a few handfuls of shredded Parmesan cheese. It’s simple, but it’s got mighty big flavor!

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Easy Soba Noodle Bowl

No one’s going to complain about morequick and easy dinner ideas, right? This one the ultimate quick weeknight meal, a fillingvegetarian dinnerthat comes together in 20 minutes flat. Meet thissoba noodle bowl! It’s filled with stir fried broccoli, red pepper and onion, mix with a savory sauce with creamy peanut butter. Even better: eggs are scrambled right into the mix (like fried rice, but with noodles!).

Got more time? Try Roasted Vegetable Pasta.

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Lemon Dill Salmon

Looking for an easy dinner idea for tonight? Enter: lemon dill salmon. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s even fancy enough for a dinner party. The baked salmon is perfectly savory, and doused in a zingy lemon dill sauce, it’s absolutely irresistible.

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40 Dinner Ideas for Tonight (2024)
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