Our 15 Best Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes to Make Cooking Stress-Free
Long day at work? A bit of kitchen therapy might do you some good
It’s science: cooking can help reduce stress. From the aromatherapy of spices to the creative expression of the kitchen, there are plenty of ways making your own meal can help you unwind after a day at the office. A great dinner doesn’t have to be difficult either. Depending on how often you cook, you may already have all the ingredients for these easy dishes that come together in around an hour or less. From our favorite 30-minute chicken recipes to simple Asian stir-fries and quick open-faced sandwich recipes that make for perfect munching in front of the TV, here are our best easy weeknight dinner recipes to try today.
Crusty bread sops up creamy burrata and juicy marinated tomatoes in this pleasantly messy sandwich. Get the recipe for Burrata and Marinated Cherry Tomato Sandwiches »
Classically Roman, this garlicky pasta dish—as interpreted by Nick Anderer of Maialino and Marta in New York City—is brightened with pepperoncino and a handful of vibrant parsley. It gets a hit of salt from grated Grana Padano and roundness from extra-virgin olive oil. Get the recipe for Nick Anderer’s Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil »
This version of the American classic has a smattering of colorful vegetables and a sauce enriched by sherry and parmesan. Get the recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini »
An earthy North African Aleppo pepper paste—perfumed with cumin, caraway, and coriander—flavors this juicy roast chicken from chef Michael Solomonov. Get the recipe for Roasted Chicken with Harissa »
Rice Porridge with Chicken and Ginger (Arroz Caldo)
The dish may be from China and have a Spanish name, but to Filipinos, few things taste more like home than arroz caldo. Based on Chinese congee, this rice porridge relies on an easy, flavorful stock that is melded with rice until creamy and rich. Get the recipe for Rice Porridge with Chicken and Ginger (Arroz Caldo) »
Give this comfort food staple the best of both worlds by topping a rich chicken stew with mashed potatoes and puff pastry. Get the recipe for Chicken Pot Shepherd’s Pie »
Stir-fries are excellent for when you have no time. This spicy, easy stir-fry is all about the sticky, slightly sweet sauce that coats the chicken and cashews and comes together in minutes. Like all stir-fries, it is incredibly versatile. Simply add in whatever is in your fridge. Get the recipe for Stir-Fried Chicken With Cashew Nuts »
No time to make your own dough? Same here. Use a loaf of bread for the crust and have dinner ready in no time. Get the recipe for Easiest Pizza Ever (Loaf Bread Pizza) »
A simple salad that puts a ubiquitous supermarket staple to work. Canned hearts of palm have a vegetal, slightly nutty flavor similar to artichokes, and they combine perfectly with butter lettuce and avocado. Get the recipe for Hearts Of Palm and Avocado Salad »
Slow roasting enhances the potatoes natural sweetness, making this a standout side dish or vegetarian entrée. Garlicky labneh and quick trip under the broiler add tang and smokiness. Get the recipe for Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Labneh »
A simple grain bowl is the perfect easy meal: quick, nourishing, and plenty satisfying. Feel free to adapt the ingredients in this recipe to whatever’s in your fridge and pantry; grain bowls love leftovers. Get the recipe for Farro Grain Bowl »
Ground lamb adds rich flavor to this traditional Turkish meatballs. Serve them simply with mustard for a first course, or with rice or pasta for something more substantial. Get the recipe for Beef and Lamb Koftas with Mustard »
This simple fried rice is as good for breakfast as it is for dinner. Thick-cut bacon will make for more meaty, chewy bits. Cookbook writer Amy Thielen often adds a little sauerkraut for a further Midwestern touch. Get the recipe for Bacon Fried Rice »
Amy Thielen’s interpretation of breakfast for dinner: these delicately sweet and savory pancakes, given lift by yeast and flavored with some bacon fat. They’re perfect for rolling up around crisp sausages, but are good filled pretty much everything. Get the recipe for Supper Pancakes With Smoked Sausage »
This open-faced sandwich was created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, by chef Fred K. Schmidt, who was looking for a unique midnight snack to serve to all the revelers dancing in the ballroom until the wee hours. The classic is slightly updated with the use of sweeter cherry tomatoes instead of large tomato wedges. Get the recipe for Classic Louisville Hot Brown Sandwich »
