If you're feeling uninspired when it comes to cooking, we've got exactly what you need to help you get out of that rut. We'll cover 20 of the tastiest, simplest, most hassle-free recipes you can make to add some variety to your weekly menu.
All of the meals we'll be ranking here have recipes available for free on our cooking page. If you see one you like, you can just get to cooking.
1. Lemon Chicken Pasta
This pasta dish is remarkably simple, and it tastes absolutely heavenly. It's made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry – chicken breast, spaghetti, and a few other simple add-ins.
You'll be amazed by how great it tastes, and it's the perfect dinner for busy nights when you're not sure what to cook.
2. Potato Pancakes and Smoked Salmon
Who knew potatoes and salmon were such a perfect pair? Add onions, sour cream, and a few other ingredients, and you end up with a delightfully savory breakfast that tastes like nothing you've ever had before.
3. Watermelon and Feta Salad
If you're tired of boring salads, this is the perfect side dish – or main course – to whip up tonight.
Our watermelon and feta salad is perfect for summertime. Thanks to the classic combination of ingredients like arugula and feta cheese with sweet, crisp watermelon, it's a unique and healthy treat your whole family will love.
We recommend pairing our watermelon and feta salad with our summer burger, a great-tasting main course to enjoy on a warm night in July.
4. Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Pork
This delicious dish has the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. Fresh ginger gives the rice and pork a little refreshing kick, and the addition of a bit of sherry vinegar makes the flavors really pop.
5. Veggie Tikka Masala
Tikka masala is an Indian dish that is traditionally made with marinated boneless chicken and a signature sauce. However, our meat-free friends can make this delicious dish, too – just use cauliflower instead of chicken.
Our veggie tikka masala recipe contains just three simple ingredients, and it's the perfect dish for a fall or winter night. We also highly recommend making our tikka masala part of your weekly meal prepping regimen. You can easily make the dish in batches, portion it out, and heat it to enjoy throughout the week.
6. Salmon With Turmeric and Broccoli
Turmeric is one spice you definitely need in your pantry. It pairs perfectly with protein sources like turkey, ground beef, and chicken, as well as fish. We've combined powdered turmeric and the acidic kick of lemon juice with fresh salmon to make a perfect dinner.
This meal is one of our favorite easy dinner recipes, and it's one your whole family will love. Even if your kids are often hesitant to eat their veggies, they'll be blown away by the way broccoli tastes with just a little salt, pepper, oil, and fresh herbs.
7. Gnocchi With Mushrooms and Feta
This dish blends traditional flavors from Greek and Italian cuisine to make an incredibly unique and mouth-watering pasta. Gnocchi serves as the base, and their flavor is enhanced by adding fresh garlic and mint leaves.
Plus, this recipe calls for a little white wine, giving you the perfect opportunity to start working on cooking with a bit of booze.
8. Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp scampi has a reputation for being one of the fanciest dinners on the menu at five-star restaurants, but that doesn't mean you can't make it at home. All you need is some high-quality ingredients, a few minutes to prep and cook, and a knack for plating and presentation.
Our shrimp scampi is the perfect meal to serve when it's date night, and you're cooking at home. It's classy, bursting with flavor, and guaranteed to please.
8. Italian Sausages and Roasted Veggies
If you've been looking for an opportunity to cook with alcohol, this simple dish is it. Just a bit of white wine brings out the delicious flavors from the potatoes, onions, and peppers, which are paired with savory Italian sausages.
We always recommend cooking all your meals with fresh herbs when possible, and the fresh thyme leaves used in this recipe are especially essential. Thyme is the perfect herb to pair with meat, potatoes, and veggies, and it has a distinct flavor made even more remarkable by the white wine.
9. Spicy Beef Fajitas
Did somebody say Taco Tuesday (or maybe Fajita Friday)?
This simple recipe makes some of the tastiest fajitas we've ever had, and it's on our list of family favorites for a reason. Everyone will love the taste of Mexican-style ground beef, which you can make easily in a pan on the stove.
While the ingredient list for this recipe has everything you need, spice things up by adding tomatoes, lettuce, and chili powder to make your beef fajitas even tastier.
10. Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
This is one of our favorite slow cooker recipes to try in the fall. It's made with simple, wholesome vegetarian ingredients. You can also easily make enough to enjoy leftovers throughout the week.
11. Salmon Wrap
Who said making lunch had to be complicated?
This wrap is the perfect meal to make on days when you have a ton going on. It takes just a few minutes to prepare, so make it early in the morning before heading to work and enjoy it whenever you get a break.
Our salmon wrap is also a great addition to your personalized meal plan or your meal prepping regimen. These wraps are easy to make in batches, so you can make a few of them at the start of the week and enjoy them for lunch every day until they’re gone.
12. Huevos Rancheros
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so we think it should taste great.
This recipe for a traditional Mexican breakfast is the perfect way to start your morning. With just a few ingredients that are probably already in your pantry, it’s the definition of hassle-free! The crispy texture of the tortilla combined with the runny egg yolk is always a treat, as is the creamy taste of sliced avocado.
13. Grandma’s Rice Made Simple
Everybody needs comfort food, and this recipe for home-cooked rice gets you exactly that. It’s a nourishing and nostalgic dish that tastes great at lunchtime or dinnertime, and it’ll keep you full for hours.
We recommend using brown rice when cooking this recipe. It’s a great source of complex carbohydrates, and its flavor and texture pair perfectly with white mushrooms and bacon cubes.
14. Cream Cheese Omelet
Here’s another hassle-free breakfast to start the day off right.
With just three ingredients, you can make the breakfast of your dreams. This fluffy omelet, paired with a bed of mixed greens, will fill you up and give you the energy you need to take on the day. You can easily whip one of these up for every member of your family in the morning and still have time to get ready for work.
15. Sesame Chicken and Broccoli
This recipe has everything you need for a simple dinner. It’s gourmet, tasty, and easy to make. The blend of sesame seeds, teriyaki sauce, and fresh ginger will give you flavors that take you back to sitting in a booth at your favorite Chinese restaurant. The simple combination makes the perfect sauce for your pan-fried chicken.
To make this meal as delicious as possible, we recommend pairing the chicken and broccoli with jasmine rice.
16. Steak With Blue Cheese Sauce
Who knew steak could be so simple?
If you’ve been craving a good steak, there’s no need to overspend at a fancy restaurant. Make this fantastic, simple meal at home instead.
Just pick up a strip steak or flank steak from the store (or let us pick one up for you) and cook it in a hot frying pan with butter or oil. All you need to get it tasting great is salt, pepper, and good timing.
Pairing your steak with new potatoes and a rich, creamy dipping sauce will make you feel like you’re dining at a five-star restaurant. Drizzle a little blue cheese sauce on the steak, and every bite will instantly be turned into an experience.
Want More Recipes? We’ve Got Them!
If you’re always on the lookout for something new to cook, look no further than our recipe page! There, you’ll get unlimited access to our huge database of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.
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