Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Sometimes, after a long day, making dinner is the last thing on your mind. That’s why it’s important to have some easy-to-make options ready in your wheelhouse. These foolproof recipes, like tuna casserole, lasagna, and pot roast, are guaranteed always to turn out — and they’ll be meals that everyone will love. Scroll through to find reliable recipes that will take the stress out of dinnertime.
01 of 25
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Credit: Buckwheat Queen
The name may sound fancy, but this five-ingredient dish is simply spaghetti with olive oil, garlic, black pepper, and Pecorino Romano cheese. You can make the sauce thicker or thinner by adding more cheese or more pasta water. Reviewers like to add a bit of red pepper flakes for a little kick.
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02 of 25
Easy Swedish Meatball Sauce
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
This tasty, creamy sauce is ready in just 20 minutes. And it’s made even easier with frozen meatballs, though you can use homemade if you prefer. Serve the meatballs and a generous amount of sauce over egg noodles or rice.
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03 of 25
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
This classic stuffed chicken is easier to make than you think. Simply pound the chicken until it’s thin enough to roll, then place ham and cheese inside—reviewers say you don’t even need to secure the rolls with toothpicks. Reviewers also like to give the chicken an egg wash so the bread crumbs stick better.
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04 of 25
Reuben Sandwich
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Flavor-packed Reuben sandwiches are quick and easy to make. And if not everyone likes corned beef, you can easily swap it for turkey to make a Rachel sandwich instead. To keep the bread from getting soggy, add the dressing and sauerkraut in between the meat and cheese layers.
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05 of 25
Homemade Dumplings
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Dumplings are such an easy comfort food to make. Simply plop these dough balls into your favorite stew—like chicken and noodle—and you’ll have a hearty meal in no time.
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06 of 25
Grilled Cheese Sandwich
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There’s nothing quite like a classic grilled cheese sandwich. This recipe produces a perfectly toasted sandwich with ooey-gooey melted cheese in the center. Serve this sandwich with a big bowl of tomato soup for a weeknight meal that brings nostalgia.
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07 of 25
Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“No sense messing with something that on its own is pretty darn good. It’s not necessary to measure precisely, just use all ingredients to your heart’s and eyes’ content. A squeeze of this, a handful of that, and a splash of this—use what looks good to you. I served this with a simple green salad with a lemon vinaigrette,” says reviewer naples34102.
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08 of 25
Easy Tuna Casserole
Credit: Melissa Goff
This five-ingredient tuna casserole is so easy to make—and you probably have all the ingredients on hand. Some reviewers like to add a bag of frozen veggies, like peas and carrots, to make this a more well-rounded meal.
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09 of 25
Breaded Air Fryer Pork Chops
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Perfectly tender and juicy pork chops are what you’ll get in just 10 minutes using your air fryer and basic pantry ingredients. Play around with different crouton flavors for variety,” says Allrecipes Allstar France C. Some reviewers like to add more Cajun seasoning for an extra kick.
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10 of 25
Stir-Fry Chicken and Vegetables
Credit: Allrecipes
This stir-fry is packed with flavor and loaded with veggies. Reviewers say this recipe is quite versatile and that you can use any veggies or meat you like. Serve the whole mixture over a bed of rice.
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11 of 25
Sarah’s Easy Shredded Chicken Taco Filling
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Definitely easy and not to mention very tasty! I love beef tacos, but chicken is a great alternative. Plus, this recipe is perfect for times when you want something simple and quick to put together. Delicious in warm soft or hard shell tacos with all the fix-ins—shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, hot sauce, and sour cream,” says home cook Jillian.
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12 of 25
Stuffed Peppers My Way
Credit: TTV78
With hundreds of 5-star reviews, these stuffed peppers are sure to be a hit. Roasted green peppers are stuffed with an onion, tomato, rice, and feta cheese mixture for a veggie-packed meal. Reviewers say you can use any color bell pepper you have on hand, and some like to add chicken to the stuffing.
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13 of 25
Kim’s Lasagna
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
This simple, no-fail lasagna is “the best lasagna I have ever made and will be the only way I make it from now on,” raves home cook BakerDi. “I was skeptical about putting the noodles in hot water, but it turned out awesome.”
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14 of 25
Easy Meatloaf
Credit: Grant Webster / Food Styling: Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco
With over 7,000 5-star reviews, this meatloaf is no stranger to the dinner spotlight. It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients and is ready in no time at all. Reviewers like to add Worcestershire sauce to the meat mixture before adding the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard glaze.
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15 of 25
Chicken Parmesan
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Chef John’s Chicken Parmesan is extra-crispy, with just a little bit of tomato sauce. Reviewers say this chicken tastes restaurant-quality and is perfect served with angel hair pasta, a salad, and fresh Italian bread.
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16 of 25
Sloppy Joes
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey / Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling: Claire Spollen
“Much better than Manwich and SO easy! The best thing is it’s made with ingredients I always have in the house, and it’s not a hundred ingredients either, so it’s fast to make. I always make more sauce than it calls for. It’s great in the crockpot too,” says reviewer AMERETTE.
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17 of 25
Mississippi Pot Roast
Credit: Photographer: Stacy Allen / Food Styling: Julian Henserling / Prop Styling: Christina Daley
This five-ingredient pot roast is so easy to make thanks to your slow cooker. Simply dump everything into the pot, and eight hours later, you’ll have delicious, tender, and juicy meat. The roast is great served on its own or on a roll topped with cheese.
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18 of 25
Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells
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If you aren’t a fan of ricotta stuffed shells, try these sausage stuffed shells instead. Reviewers like to add fresh spinach to the meat-cheese mixture to balance out the meal. And recipe creator RainbowJewels says if you’re trying to sneak in the veggies for picky eaters, just blend the spinach in the food processor first.
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19 of 25
Best Hamburger Ever
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Fire up the grill for these flavor-loaded hamburgers. The patties are packed with ground beef, onion, cheese, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, egg, onion soup mix, and tons of seasonings. Serve these burgers on a bun with your favorite toppings for the perfect summer barbecue meal.
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20 of 25
Chicken Enchiladas
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
“Very yummy enchiladas! Probably will become a staple in our household. I used the Red Enchilada Sauce from this site to finish it off. Absolutely superb!!!! HELPFUL HINT: ” This recipe freezes extremely well,” says reviewer Crystal S.
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21 of 25
Hibachi-Style Fried Rice
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
In just 20 minutes, you’ll have restaurant-quality fried rice thanks to this simple recipe. You can use chicken—or any other protein that you like—to elevate this dish to main course status. Reviewers also like to add a bag of frozen veggies to make the dish a more balanced meal.
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22 of 25
The Best Baked Ziti
Credit: Chef John
Chef John’s baked ziti is packed with Italian sausage (hot, mild, or sweet), ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and tons of seasonings. Chef John uses two jars of prepared marinara sauce, but you can use homemade if you prefer.
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23 of 25
Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
Credit: Allrecipes / Abbey Littlejohn
“This is a great recipe when you don’t want to wait for the dough to rise. You just mix it and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, and then it’s ready to go!! It yields a soft, chewy crust. For a real treat, I recommend you use bread flour and bake it on a pizza stone, but all-purpose flour works well too,” says recipe creator CHEF RIDER.
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24 of 25
Tasty Baked Mac n Cheese
Credit: Trusted Brands
This creamy baked macaroni and cheese is made with butter, sour cream, cream cheese, sharp Cheddar, egg yolk, flour, milk, and mild Cheddar—but the secret ingredient that elevates this recipe is cayenne pepper. Some reviewers like to cut back on butter, but it’s a matter of personal preference.
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25 of 25
Easy Mexican Casserole
Credit: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Switch up Taco Tuesday with this Mexican casserole with ground beef, salsa, chili beans, tortilla chips, sour cream, olives, green onion, tomatoes, and Cheddar cheese. Try using Doritos instead of tortilla chips, and season the ground beef with a taco seasoning packet for more flavor.
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Dining and Cooking