Having go-to lazy family dinners on hand is a must when you’re short on time but still want a great meal. These 17 recipes are perfect for busy evenings when you want a stress-free time in the kitchen. Breeze through dinner prep with these straightforward family favorites that promise to make your nightly routine a whole lot easier.
Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
This dish is a go-to for a busy night, ready in 30 minutes. Using frozen broccoli and cauliflower, it’s mixed with a creamy sauce, sprinkled with cheese and bacon, and baked until golden. It’s super easy and perfect for when you want something filling but don’t have much time to cook. Serve this on those evenings when you’re looking for comfort without the effort.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Crock Pot Taco Soup
Spend just 20 minutes in the morning prepping, and you’ll come back to a fully cooked soup that’s got all the flavors of a taco. This meal is great for busy days or when you’re too tired to cook but still want something hearty to eat. You’ll brown some ground beef and then mix it with the rest of the ingredients in the Crock Pot. It’s a perfect way to make dinner easy and full of flavor, proving you don’t need to be in the kitchen all day for a good meal.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Taco Soup
Spinach Chicken Bake
Here’s a dish that’s both quick to make and perfect for a hearty dinner. Ready in about 30 minutes, you’ll bake chicken thighs with cream cheese, mozzarella, and spinach, creating a meal that’s comforting and filling. It’s just right for those nights when you want a hearty meal but don’t want to spend ages cooking. This recipe ensures you get a great dinner on the table without much work.
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Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
When you need a filling dinner but don’t want to spend all evening cooking, this meal is ready in just 20 minutes. It’s made in one skillet, combining juicy chicken pieces with a rich buttery garlic sauce. You can pair it with rice and veggies for a complete meal or put it over a salad if you’re looking for something lighter. This recipe is a great pick for a delicious meal without the complicated steps, perfect for wrapping up a busy day. The chicken is crispy with a tender interior and the garlic butter is extra flavorful.
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Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
If you’ve got 30 minutes, you can have a nutritious meal on the table with almost no effort. Just lay out your sausages and veggies on a sheet pan, bake them, and you’re done. It’s a great choice for those nights when you’re short on time but still want a meal that’s good for you. This recipe is all about making dinner simple, letting you relax instead of spending the night cooking.
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Fajita Baked Chicken
You’ll season chicken breasts and top them with cream cheese, sweet peppers, and mozzarella, then bake everything to perfection. It’s all done in one pan, meaning you won’t have to worry about a pile of dishes afterward. This recipe is perfect for those busy evenings when you still want a meal that’s packed with flavor but doesn’t require much effort or time.
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Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
This soup is perfect for when you want something delicious and hearty without spending hours in the kitchen. You’ll need about an hour to make it, but it’s mostly hands-off. Just get your sweet potatoes and red peppers ready, then sauté, simmer, blend, and serve. It’s a straightforward way to enjoy a homemade meal, especially on those nights when you’re looking for comfort with minimal effort.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
Cabbage and Sausage
In just 25 minutes, you can cook up a meal that’s great for those days you’re not in the mood for a lot of kitchen time. This recipe pairs cabbage with sausage for a hearty and flavorful dish. It’s simple to make with ingredients you likely have on hand, perfect when you need a quick, no-stress dinner.
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Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
In just 30 minutes, you’ll combine ground beef, cheddar cheese, cauliflower rice, and mushrooms in a single skillet for a meal that’s easy yet filling. It’s a smart pick on days when cooking feels like a chore but you still want something good to eat. And if you end up with too much, it freezes well, so you can have a quick meal ready for another day.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Ground Beef Skillet with Cauliflower Rice
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Turn a classic dish into a soup that’s ready in just an hour. With chicken, veggies, and carbs all cooked together, it’s like the traditional pot pie but without the complicated cooking steps. You may even have most of the ingredients in your kitchen right now. Ready in just an hour, this one-pot meal is great for busy weeknights and a clever way to enjoy the classic favorite without the extra work of baking a pie.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Creamy Garlic Chicken
This dish serves up flavor and comfort in just 30 minutes, using only one pan for easy cleanup. Chicken breasts are simmered in a sauce packed with Parmesan, garlic, and cream, creating a dish that feels special without the complicated steps. It’s an excellent option for those evenings when you’re looking for something more than the basics but still want dinner to be straightforward and quick.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Chicken
Chicken Corn Soup
In under an hour, you can serve a this filling and comforting soup that combines the flavors of chicken and creamed corn. It’s all made in one pot, making it a straightforward choice any day of the week. This recipe is easy enough for beginners but filling for all, making it a great go-to when you’re looking for a hearty dish without the work.
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Italian Sausage Soup
In 30 minutes, you can have this creamy soup, ready for everyone to enjoy. It’s made with Italian sausage, cream cheese, and tomatoes, all in one pot. This is great for evenings when you want a filling dinner but don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking. It’s easy to make and perfect for a comfy night in.
Get the Recipe: Italian Sausage Soup
Hungarian Mushroom Soup
In just 45 minutes, you can enjoy a comforting bowl of this soup, making it a great choice for an effortless dinner. Cooked in one pot, mushrooms are simmered in a creamy broth with spices, sour cream, milk, and butter, bringing a hearty flavor to your table without much work. Serve this with bread, salad, or veggies for a complete and filling meal.
Get the Recipe: Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Fried Cabbage with Bacon
You can make this flavorful dish in just 25 minutes, using only one pan. It combines cabbage, bacon, and onion for a meal that’s simple yet flavorful. This is a great option for a quick dinner that’s still hearty. Whether you’re looking for a savory side or a light main dish, this recipe has you covered on busy nights. Make it right on the stovetop with minimal ingredients that are very budget-friendly.
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Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
This one-pan meal brings together chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, and Parmesan for a hearty dinner, ready in 30 minutes. It’s perfect for when you’re looking for something special to eat but don’t want to spend all night cooking or cleaning up. The rich flavors make it a great choice for a relaxed evening meal. This dish is an effortless dinner that yields a meal that seems like you spent hours cooking in the kitchen.
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Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
Get dinner on the table quickly with this 30-minute, one-skillet meal. It’s packed with ground beef, cauliflower rice, spinach, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese, making it an effortless and balanced meal. This recipe is especially good on those busy nights when you need something straightforward yet hearty to feed yourself or your family.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach