These 25 home-cooked dinner recipes are about to make your takeout habits history. We’re keeping it real with meals that are perfect for your hectic schedule and still pack a punch of home-cooked goodness. Each recipe is a no-brainer, turning what’s probably in your pantry right now into a feast that’ll make your dining room the new hot spot.
Creamy Dijon Chicken
If you’re tired of the usual takeout, try the Creamy Dijon Chicken for a change. This recipe is ready in 30 minutes and is simpler than waiting for delivery. The chicken cooks in a savory cream sauce flavored with Dijon mustard and accented with herbs and bacon, making it rich and filling. It’s an easy dish that adds some excitement to your dinner routine without the hassle. Not only does it save time, but it also serves a homemade, quality meal that’s sure to impress.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dijon Chicken
Lemon Garlic Scallops
Lemon Garlic Scallops are your answer to a quick, gourmet-style dinner at home. They take just 30 minutes to prepare. This dish features plump scallops cooked and then tossed in a mix of lemon and garlic sauce, bringing a splash of sophistication to your dining table without the expense of a restaurant. The simple ingredient list and quick cooking time make it a practical alternative to takeout, serving a fresh, flavorful meal without the wait. It’s a great choice for a special occasion or a regular weeknight when you want something a little fancier but still easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Garlic Scallops
Sausage Curry
Forget takeout and cook up a flavorful Sausage Curry in just 45 minutes. This one-pan meal combines hearty sausages with a mix of curry spices, creating a dish full of depth and flavor. It’s an easy, no-stress recipe that brings variety to your dinner table without requiring extensive preparation or cooking skills. This curry is not only simple to make but also cost-effective, allowing you to enjoy a delicious meal that feeds your craving for something different without the hassle and expense of dining out.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Curry
Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach
Enjoy the flavors of Tuscany with this quick Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach dish, ready in just 30 minutes. Combining juicy shrimp, fresh spinach, and tomatoes, this meal is light yet filling and packed with flavor. It’s an easy way to bring a piece of Italy into your kitchen, proof that you don’t need to order out to enjoy a delicious meal. The ingredients are simple, the steps are easy, and the result is a dish that beats any takeout.
Get the Recipe: Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach
Creamy Italian Sausage Soup
Ditch the takeout for this Creamy Italian Sausage Soup that’s a breeze to make. In just 30 minutes, this one-pot meal blends rich Italian sausage, smooth cream cheese, and bright tomatoes into a hearty soup. It’s perfect for a filling dinner, especially on chilly nights. Serve it with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a side of crusty bread to soak up every last drop. The recipe is straightforward, requiring minimal prep and cleanup, making it a smart choice for busy weeknights. Plus, it’s cost-effective, reducing your grocery bill while serving a meal that’s more hearty than takeout.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Italian Sausage Soup
Cabbage and Sausage
Turn to Cabbage and Sausage for a speedy, filling dinner that’s far better than waiting for delivery. This dish is ready in under 30 minutes, cooking everything in one skillet. It’s incredibly straightforward: just slice up some cabbage and your favorite sausage, cook it one after the other to soak up all that flavor, and you have a meal that’s both nutritious and hearty. Adding a splash of apple cider vinegar for tanginess enhances the flavors. It’s a practical choice for a busy day, easy to make, easy to clean, and it keeps well for leftovers. This dish shows that you can have a delicious meal without the extra cost or waiting for takeout.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Sausage
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites are a superb choice when you need a quick and flavorful meal. Ready in only 20 minutes, these chicken bites are pan-fried and smothered in a rich garlic butter sauce, making them irresistible. This recipe is incredibly simple, using just a few ingredients and minimal cooking time to deliver a dish that’s full of flavor. It’s the perfect solution for a busy evening when you want something quick yet delicious. These chicken bites show that homemade meals can be easy, fast, and far superior to anything you’d get from takeout.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts
For a meal that feels gourmet without a lot of work, try Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts. This dish combines tender chicken thighs and artichoke hearts in a creamy sauce, all ready in just 30 minutes. You get the richness and depth of flavor typically found in a slow-cooked meal, making it a perfect substitute for expensive takeout. Additionally, this meal is a great option for those seeking a comforting, protein-rich dinner after a long day.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Stop ordering takeout and try making Creamy Tuscan Chicken at home instead. This recipe is straightforward and takes only 40 minutes to prepare. With chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and spinach, all simmered in a rich, creamy sauce, it’s a dish full of flavor. You just need one pan to make it, which makes cleanup easy. Serve it with pasta or bread to soak up the extra sauce. This meal is not only quick to prepare but also saves you from spending on takeout, and the leftovers taste great the next day.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Ditch the takeout for something more comforting like Chicken Pot Pie Soup. This one-pot wonder takes less than an hour and combines all the classic flavors of a chicken pot pie, including tender chicken, potatoes, carrots, and a creamy base, but without the need to make a crust. It’s a great way to get a delicious meal on the table quickly without compromising on taste or comfort.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Swap takeout for this comforting Chicken Tortellini Soup, perfect for cold nights. This soup mixes tender chicken, cheese-filled tortellini, and fresh vegetables in a savory broth, all cooked in one pot within 40 minutes. The combination of ingredients yields a meal that’s both nourishing and full of flavor, making it a family favorite. This dish not only saves time and money but also the comfort of a home-cooked meal that takeout simply can’t match.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortellini Soup
Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana is a robust and creamy soup that’s perfect for a hearty dinner at home, skipping the takeout. It features sausage, bacon, heavy cream, and kale, cooked in a savory broth and all ready within about an hour. This soup is simple to make and serves a comforting meal that feels like a hug in a bowl. It’s also perfect for leftovers, as the flavors meld together even more overnight. No takeout can beat that. This makes it a practical choice for preparing meals ahead of time.
Get the Recipe: Zuppa Toscana
White Bean Soup
For a quick dinner, turn to White Bean Soup instead of takeout. It’s ready in just 40 minutes with minimal ingredients like white beans, carrots, and a sprinkle of croutons for crunch. The soup gets its creamy consistency from pureed beans, with no need for cream or flour. This one-pot meal is not only easy to make but also easy to clean up afterward. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight when you need a nutritious meal that comes together fast. Plus, it reheats well, so you can enjoy a great meal again without any extra effort.
Get the Recipe: White Bean Soup
Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup is a delicious and nutritious choice that’s far better than takeout. Ready in about an hour, this one-pot meal combines the smooth and slightly sweet flavors of sweet potatoes with the bright and tangy taste of red peppers. Top it off with sour cream and parsley for a restaurant-quality finish. It’s easy to prepare and even easier to love, especially since you can freeze it for future meals. This soup is a smart pick for anyone looking for a homemade meal that’s so much better than takeout.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
Curry Salmon with Coconut Milk and Bok Choy
When you’ve only got 30 minutes, this curry salmon is the perfect pick to whip up a great meal. Combining salmon, bok choy, and coconut milk with a curry paste made with mustard seeds, curry powder and other spices. This dish is not only simple to prepare but also packs a flavorful punch that rivals your favorite takeout. It cooks quickly, perfect for a hectic night. This dish not only feeds your seafood cravings but also serves a healthy dose of omega-3s, making it a smarter choice than takeout.
Get the Recipe: Curry Salmon with Coconut Milk and Bok Choy
Hungarian Mushroom Soup
On a cool day, nothing beats the warmth of Hungarian Mushroom Soup. This recipe involves mushrooms, a splash of cream, and a mixture of spices that come together in about 45 minutes. The result is a thick, hearty soup that pairs well with a piece of crusty bread. It’s a comforting meal that encourages you to stay in and relax. Easy to prepare and even easier to store, this soup outshines takeout with the comfort and convenience it brings without the need for frequent trips to the restaurant.
Get the Recipe: Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Try this Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice for a fast and filling weeknight meal rather than ordering takeout. It combines ground beef, cauliflower rice, cheddar cheese, and mushrooms, all cooked in one skillet within 30 minutes. This dish is a hearty and delectable alternative to takeout, particularly for those looking to reduce carbs. It’s also incredibly convenient, requiring minimal cleanup and effort. This recipe shows that you can have a delicious meal without sacrificing flavor or spending hours in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Fried Cabbage with Bacon is perfect for a quick and savory meal that comes together in about 25 minutes. Featuring cabbage, bacon, and onions, this dish is not only easy to prepare but also full of flavor, making it a much better option than takeout. It’s straightforward and doesn’t leave you with a sink full of dishes. Besides being delicious, it’s a practical way to sneak in some vegetables while feeding your craving for comfort food, all in less time than it takes to decide on a takeout menu.
Get the Recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
For a dish that feels gourmet without the effort, Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce is the go-to recipe. Ready in just 30 minutes with one skillet, this meal combines tender chicken thighs with a rich mushroom sauce. It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s definitely quicker than delivery and a lot more impressive. This dish not only simplifies dinner time but also makes cleanup a breeze. It’s perfect for those evenings when you want something special without too much work or the high cost of eating out.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
Stop relying on takeout and try this Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken instead. It’s perfect for a quick dinner, using simple ingredients like chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, and heavy cream to create a rich, filling meal. Cook everything in just one skillet, and you’re done in 30 minutes. This dish is great for when you want to add a touch of luxury to your weeknight meals without spending much.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Creamy Garlic Chicken is a great choice for a quick, comforting meal that beats any takeout. It requires minimal ingredients — mainly chicken, garlic, Parmesan, and heavy cream — all cooked together in one pan within 30 minutes. This dish is not only easy to prepare but also leaves you with hardly any cleanup. It’s perfect for busy evenings when you need something quick yet flavorful. The robust garlic flavor and creamy texture make it a hit with families, allowing them to get a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Chicken
Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner is a quick, delicious meal that’s far better than takeout. Ready in about 30 minutes, this recipe combines sausage with a colorful mix of zucchini, broccoli, and sweet mini peppers. Everything is tossed in a seasoning blend before being roasted at a high temperature, which caramelizes the veggies and gives the sausage a perfect crispness. This meal is incredibly straightforward, allowing you to prepare a nutritious dinner even on your busiest night. Plus, it’s a clever way to get a serving of vegetables, keeping dinner nutrient-dense and simple.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms
Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms is your answer to a lighter meal that doesn’t skimp on flavor. Replacing traditional rice with cauliflower, this dish is mixed with mushrooms, garlic, onions, and Parmesan to create a creamy, filling texture. Ready in just 30 minutes using one pan, it’s the perfect solution for a busy weeknight. This risotto is lower in carbs than traditional versions, making it a lighter option. It’s got all the creamy goodness you want without the heavy feeling afterward.
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Risotto with Mushrooms
Green Chile Chicken
Turn leftover chicken into a fancy Green Chile Chicken meal in just 20 minutes. This recipe is straightforward, mixing shredded chicken thighs with green chiles, jalapeños, onions, garlic, and a creamy sauce for a dish bursting with flavor. It’s a practical choice that maximizes ingredients you likely already have, reducing food waste and saving money compared to ordering takeout. Serve it over rice or in tacos for a versatile, quick meal that satisfies cravings for something spicy and hearty without the need to order out.
Get the Recipe: Green Chile Chicken
Chicken Corn Soup
This Chicken Corn Soup is a quick-fix dinner, ready in under an hour. It’s a simple mix of chicken, corn, creamed corn, carrots, and potatoes, all cooked together to create a creamy, comforting soup. It’s a great choice for a nourishing meal on a busy night, easily outdoing any takeout option with its home-cooked goodness. Not only is it delicious and warming, but it’s also a great way to get everyone eating their veggies in a very palatable way. Leftovers reheat perfectly, making this soup a gift that keeps on giving during a busy week.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Corn Soup