My goal here is to help you answer the eternal question: “What’s for dinner?”. Between packing lunches, meal prepping, and the overall go-go-go pace of life, by the end of the day we’re done. And yet we still need to sit down to dinner. Many will feel frazzled by 6pm and either not know what to make for dinner, or will be crunched for time with everything else going on. This is where easy, quick dinner recipes can step in to make your life easier and keep you satisfied (and the family fed).
This month, I am heading ‘back to school’ for the 11th online run of the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program and you can bet your tushy that I will be having these recipes on repeat.
Each of these quick dinner recipes are simple to make and don’t require a ton of hands-on cooking time, relying on the oven or pot to do most of the work. You’ll still need to prep your veggies, but I’ve also provided make-ahead prep and cook tips to help get dinner on the table even faster.
10 QUICK DINNER RECIPES
Moroccan-Inspired Lamb with Turmeric Rice
This is our go-to when we want something fast and easy. We like the turmeric rice for extra jazz, but you could easily skip it and have plain rice for an even faster dinner.
Make-Ahead Tips
Cook the turmeric rice (or cauliflower rice, or another gluten-free grain) ahead of time
It took me many iterations to develop this allergen-friendly pizza crust, and it never disappoints – plus it’s a reader favourite. You can make these full-size or roll into small pizzas so everyone in the family can choose their own toppings.
Make-Ahead Tips
Batch prep your flour mix, so it’s ready to go
Freeze tomato sauce or pesto in small jars for pizza making
If you’re out of sauce, thin out some tomato paste with water or olive oil and add dried herbs
A filling and quick dinner recipe that you can top with whatever your heart desires. Alternate stuffing idea? Try portobello mushrooms and bell peppers!
Make-Ahead Tips
Bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time and re-warm in the oven when ready to serve
This one is always a hit with our son. We make this with whatever veggies we have on hand. If you don’t have pineapple, try mango chunks – or just leave it out!
Make-Ahead Tips
Cook the rice the day or two before (this is always better for fried rice!)
Use any leftover cooked/roasted veggies you have, but add them at the end of cooking, so they don’t overcook
These chicken fingers are simple and also extremely kid-friendly. It’s easy to throw together a side salad to go with them, or you could make baked fries.
Make-Ahead Tips
Cook the chicken fingers ahead of time, cool fully, freeze on parchment, and then bake in the oven when ready to serve
Double the recipe and freeze some or all for later
A cozy and quick dinner recipe that is packed with protein and fibre. You can eat this on its own or add in some rice.
Make-Ahead Tips
Soak your yellow split peas in the morning
This recipe is really simple and doesn’t require a lot of prep, but you could make it ahead of time and heat up the leftovers any night during the week
Reading Time: 6 minutes 
The oven really does all the work for this one. Aside from cooking the pasta, this is basically a one-pot meal.
