Complete Reference Guide
The Complete Guide to Dinner Recipes
257+ dinner recipes organized by protein, cooking method, and time - because "what's for dinner?" deserves a better answer.
257+Dinner Recipes
15+Proteins
NewAdded Weekly
Dinner is the meal that matters most to most households - and the one that gets the least planning. This page collects 257+ tested dinner recipes organized by protein.
Every recipe has been cooked at least twice by our team. We note actual cook times (not just the optimistic ones), ingredient availability, and how well each dish reheats.
We focus on recipes that use ingredients from a regular grocery store. When a recipe calls for something unusual, we include a substitute.
How We Test Dinner Recipes
Our kitchen team cooks every recipe at least twice to verify timing and consistency.
Cook TwiceEvery recipe prepared twice to verify timing and technique.
Real GroceriesTested with standard grocery store ingredients.
Reheat TestMeal-prep recipes tested after 1 and 3 days in the fridge.
Most Popular Guides
Chicken Dinners
66 guides
Chicken is the weeknight default for a reason: it cooks fast, takes on any flavor, and costs less than most proteins.
10 Chicken and Rice Recipes You'll Actually Want Again
14 Best Grilled Chicken Recipes Worth-Trying Tonight
14 Easy Chicken Breakfast Recipes to Start Your Day Right (and Full)
15 Chicken Casserole Recipes That Make Dinner Easy and Good
15 Chicken Casseroles So Comforting, You'll Wish You Made a Double Batch
20 Delicious Dinner Ideas Using Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
15 One-Pan Chicken Dinners That Practically Cook Themselves
20 Healthy Chicken Skillet Recipes for Any Night
Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Baked Chicken Thighs with Garlic Butter
BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizzas
Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Cheesy Jalapeño Chicken Casserole
Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake
Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Skillet
Chicken and Sweet Potato Sheet Pan
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Chicken Dumpling Soup with Greens
Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake
Chicken Fajita Pasta Skillet
Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry
Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Creamy Chicken and Spinach Pasta
Creamy Lemon Dill Chicken Soup
Creamy Ranch Chicken Bake
Creamy Southwest Chicken Casserole
Crispy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Easy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Easy Instant Pot Salsa Chicken for Tacos
Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Honey Glazed Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders (Baked)
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Coconut Chicken Curry
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Beef & Ground Beef
20 guides
From 15-minute ground beef skillet meals to slow-braised short ribs. Organized by cut and cooking method.
14 Ground Pork Recipes So Good, You'll Forget About Beef
Baked Turkey Meatballs with Spinach
Beef and Barley Stew
Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
Easy Vegetable Beef Soup
Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
10 Ground Beef Greek Recipes You'll Want to Make Again and Again
20 Cozy Slow Cooker Beef Recipes That Practically Cook Themselves
20 Steak Dinner Recipes So Easy, You'll Skip the Steakhouse
20 Unique Meatloaf Recipes That Break All the Rules (and Still Win Dinner)
Instant Pot Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
Instant Pot Korean Beef Bowls
Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Salisbury Steak
Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs in Marinara
Italian Wedding Meatball Soup
Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup
Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
Pork Recipes
26 guides
Pork tenderloin, chops, pulled pork, and stir-fries. Most cuts cook in under 30 minutes.
12 Fast and Flavor-Packed Pork Stir-Fry Recipes That Taste Like Takeout
13 Flavor-Packed Filipino Pork Recipes That Bring Home to Your Table
13 Pork Tenderloin Dinners That Feel Fancy (But Are Shockingly Easy)
15 Irresistible Bacon Recipes That Instantly Make Every Meal Better
15 Pork Belly Recipes So Crispy and Rich You'll Want Seconds Every Time
15 Pork Loin Roast Recipes So Juicy, You'll Make Them Again and Again
15 Pulled Pork Recipes So Good, You'll Be Making Them on Repeat
22 Pork Chop Dinners That Are Anything but Boring
Balsamic Glazed Pork and Green Beans
Creamy Bacon and Cabbage Soup
Creamy Ham and Noodle Casserole
Creamy Italian Sausage Casserole
Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup
Hearty Ham and Potato Soup
Hearty Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Instant Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Instant Pot Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Bacon
Sausage and Potato Soup with Kale
Smoky Ham and White Bean Soup
Smoky Sausage and Lentil Soup
Spicy Sausage Rigatoni
Seafood Dinners
10 guides
Fish and shrimp cook faster than any other protein. Most of these are on the table in 20 minutes.
Vegetarian Dinners
36 guides
Meatless dinners with enough protein and substance to actually satisfy. Built around beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, and cheese.
13 Low-Carb Pasta Swaps So Good, You Won't Miss the Noodles
15 Vegetarian Pasta Recipes So Good, Meat Won't Even Cross Your Mind
17 Summer Pasta Recipes That Bring Fresh Flavor to Your Table
20 Easy Weeknight Dinners Using Canned Beans
20 Hearty Italian Dinners That Go Beyond Just Pasta Bowls
20 No-Boil Pasta Dinners That Cook Themselves for Busy Weeknights
20 Pasta Recipes That Take Only 30 Minutes to Make
20 Quick and Nourishing Vegan Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights
5 Delicious One-Pot Pasta Dinners for Easy, Flavorful Meals
Baked Feta Pasta with Zucchini
Cannellini White Bean Soup with Swiss Chard
Chickpea Curry
Creamy Beetroot Pasta
Creamy Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Garlic Butter Mushroom Pasta
Instant Pot Chickpea Stew
Instant Pot Coconut Lentil Soup
Instant Pot Green Beans and Potatoes
Instant Pot Lentil Curry
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash Pasta
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls
Instant Pot Thai Peanut Noodles
Instant Pot Vegan Chili
Instant Pot Vegan Mac and Cheese
Instant Pot Vegan Taco Filling
Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Loaded Green Bean Casserole
One-Pot Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Pasta Primavera Recipe
Pesto Orzo Pasta
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Rustic Tuscan White Bean Soup
Smoky Chipotle Black Bean Soup
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup
More Guides
10 Flavorful Meal Prep Dinners to Save Time and Delight Your Tastebuds
13 Light Mediterranean Dinners That Keep You Full (Without Weighing You Down)
15 Baked Stuffed Shell Recipes So Filling, They'll Feed Everyone
15 Bold Asian Fusion Dinners to Shake Up Your Weeknight Routine
15 Fully Loaded Recipes That Go All In (No Half Measures Allowed)
16 Easy Crockpot Meals That Practically Cook Themselves
15 Award-Winning Chili Recipes You Need to Try
15 Stuffed Pepper Recipes That Actually Feel Like a Full Meal
17 Mediterranean Dinners So Good You'll Crave Them All Week
20 Baked Casseroles You'll Want for Dinner and Leftovers
20 Bold & Spicy Mexican Casseroles That Bring Heat to the Table
20 Budget-Friendly Ground Turkey Dinner Recipes for Every Night
20 Classic Comfort Food Dinners Made Easy
20 Delicious and Easy Dinners with Frozen Vegetables
20 Dump-and-Bake Dinners for Easy Weeknight Cooking
20 Easy One-Pot Dinners That Save You Time and Clean-Up
20 Family Dinners Using Only Pantry Staples
20 High-Fiber Dinner Recipes for Wholesome Weeknight Meals
20 Lazy Lasagna Recipes That'll Save Your Weeknight Dinner Plans
20 Low-Carb Dinners That Still Feel Like a Treat
20 Mac and Cheese Recipes So Good, You'll Rethink the Box Forever
20 Make-Ahead Breakfast Casseroles Guests Will Keep Talking About
20 No-Fuss Friday Night Dinners That Taste Way Better Than Takeout
20 No-Oven Dinner Recipes to Keep You Cool and Satisfied
20 Quick and Easy Oven-Free Dinners for Busy Weeknights
22 BEST Air Fryer Recipes for Dinner (That'll Save You Time and Clean-Up Too)
Aji de Gallina
Apple and Brie Soup
BBQ Jackfruit Tacos
Best Potato Leek Soup
Carrot Ginger Turmeric Soup
Cauliflower and Potato Soup with Cheddar Cheese
Cheesy Baked Ziti
Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Soup
Cincinnati Chili
Creamy Cajun Potato Soup
Creamy Cauliflower and Cheese Soup
Creamy Enchilada Soup
Creamy Garlic Mushroom Penne
Creamy Garlic Mushroom Soup
Creamy Instant Pot Tomato Orzo with Spinach
Creamy Jalapeño Popper Soup
Creamy Pumpkin and Sage Soup
Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Casserole
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Dill Pickle and Potato Soup
Easy and Hearty Cowboy Soup
Easy Baked Penne Recipe: A Crowd-Pleasing Dish for Busy Foodies
French Onion Soup with Cheese Toast
Grilled Lobster Tails
Hearty Kale and Sweet Potato Soup
Hearty Taco Soup (Easy 7-Can Recipe)
Hot and Sour Soup
Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás)
Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest dinner to make?
Sheet pan dinners and stir-fries need minimal prep - toss ingredients on a pan or in a wok and dinner is ready in under 30 minutes.
How do I plan dinners for the week?
Pick 3-4 proteins, assign one to each night, and batch-prep shared ingredients like rice on Sunday.
What dinners meal prep well?
Soups, curries, grain bowls, and casseroles hold up 3-4 days in the fridge.
How do I make dinner faster?
Read the full recipe first, prep all ingredients (mise en place), and use higher heat when appropriate.