Quick and easy dinner recipes that are ready in under 30 minutes! From hearty pasta to flavorful stir-fries, satisfy your cravings with meals the whole family will love!
Getting a meal that is full of flavor, healthy, and filling on the table doesn’t have to be a complicated puzzle. These easy weeknight dinner recipes that are ready in under 30 minutes prove just that. From comforting chicken dishes and air fryer meals to filling salads and casseroles, these recipes will help you make a meal in no time flat.
(These must-have cookbooks for simple family meals are a great resource too!)
Fast Family Dinners Ready in Under 30 Minutes
1. Creamy Lemon Pasta with Chicken
If you are looking for a comforting dish that will be ready in 30 minutes, this creamy lemon pasta with chicken is just for you. The parmesan-crusted chicken sits on top of a bright lemon garlic fettuccini to create a bright and flavorful meal.
2. Air Fryer Tilapia
The air fryer is a lifesaver when it comes to making meals in under 30 minutes. I love using it to make this air fryer tilapia. The nifty kitchen device keeps the fish tender and flakey on the inside and creates a crisp crust on the outside for a tasty meal.
3. Grilled Salmon
Take your skills to the grill and learn how to make a quick and easy meal with this grilled salmon. The grill is one of the best cooking tools for cooking up a meal fast and loaded with flavor. Try it for yourself with this grilled salmon recipe.
4. Cowboy Casserole
Bookmark this cowboy casserole for a weeknight when you need to get dinner on the table fast. The casserole combines ground beef, corn, cheese, and tater tots to make a meal the whole family will love.
5. Marry Me Chicken
The only thing better than sitting down to a dinner of marry me chicken is knowing it only takes 30 minutes to make from scratch. It’s a crave-worthy dinner that makes the weeknight dinner rotation over and over again.
6. Ramen Noodle Salad
Turn this side dish of ramen noodle salad into the main dish for dinner in just 30 minutes. The salad is full of tangy, bright flavors that make it super refreshing. To make the dish more filling, add your favorite protein to the mix.
7. Buffalo Chicken Pizza
When you are craving buffalo wings but don’t have the time to make a whole batch, turn to this buffalo chicken pizza instead. The recipe uses a premade pizza dough and a rotisserie chicken for quick preparation. This quick meal is one your kids will ask for over and over again.
8. Swedish Meatballs
Sitting down to a bowl of warm Swedish meatballs is an excellent way to end the day. The meatball recipe combines ground beef and pork to make the protein extra flavorful. If you have any extras, save them for the next day and put them on a sub for a great meatball sandwich.
9. Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
If you have one kid asking for Philly cheesesteaks and another requesting sloppy Joes, make them both happy with these Philly cheesesteak sloppy Joes. The mashup combines the sloppy Joe filling with peppers, cheese, and a sweet and savory sauce. It’s a mashup dish that will make everyone happy.
10. Chicken Piccata
Going out to eat is never a quick process. Ditch the long wait and make this restaurant-quality chicken piccata that will be ready in under 30 minutes instead. The quick recipe doesn’t lack flavor and tastes better than anything you’d get from takeout.
11. Air Fryer Crab Cakes
These air fryer crab cakes will turn your whole house into seafood lovers. The recipe combines limp crab meat, mayo, seasonings, and panko breadcrumbs to make a version of crab cakes that is a lighter fare.
12. Crusted Chicken Cobb Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing
After one bite of this crusted chicken cobb salad with honey mustard dressing, you’ll be craving hearty salads for your meals left and right. This salad is filling without being overly heavy. The crusted chicken pairs perfectly with the veggies, hardboiled egg, and avocado to make a crave-worthy meal ready in under 30 minutes.
13. Salmon Patties
You’ll forget all about hamburgers when these salmon patties are on your plate. The salmon patties load in that seafood flavor to make for a speedy and healthy dinner. Everyone will ask for another patty, even the pickiest eater in your house!
14. Beef Enchiladas
Gathering all the enchilada fixings in itself can take more than 30 minutes. Skip that process altogether and make these beef enchiladas instead. The dish packs everything into a 13×9 baking dish for easy and quick prep and clean-up.
15. Broiled Chicken Recipe
Having a simple recipe like this broiled chicken in your back pocket is always a good idea. Not only is the dish simple and quick to make, it is versatile and tasty on its own. You can add the chicken to salads or bowls or eat it on its own for a simple and crave worthy quick meal.
Weeknight 30-Minute Dinners To Make
16. Turkey Casserole
The next time you have leftover turkey in your house, turn it into a new meal with this turkey casserole. The turkey casserole combines juicy turkey with cheese and noodles to make a brand-new meal out of leftovers.
17. Creamy Tomato Pasta
Nothing beats a bowl of creamy tomato pasta. The simple dish tastes even better since it comes together in under 30 minutes. Don’t worry about the time crunch making the flavors of this dish bland. The quick cook time packs in loads and loads of flavor.
18. Pesto Salmon
Impress your family for dinner with this quick and easy pesto salmon. It’s a quick dish to put together that almost looks too pretty to eat. Even if you have a seafood hater in your family, they will come around with this salmon recipe โ it’s that tasty.
19. Homemade Chicken Alfredo
Indulge in a restaurant-style dinner in the comfort of your own home with this chicken alfredo recipe. The classic dish comes together in 30 minutes and makes sure not to leave out any flavor. Savor each bite because there are sure to be no leftovers.
20. Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
The next time you plan to make chicken thighs, use this recipe to cook them in the air fryer. Not only does the air fryer speed up the process, but it also creates a tender piece of chicken that is perfectly crisp on the outside.
21. Air Fryer Meatballs
These air fryer meatballs always come in handy when you don’t know what to make for dinner. They are delicious, quick, and an easy protein to add to a bowl of spaghetti.
22. Sheet Pan Quesadillas
Making individual quesadillas for dinner will have you standing by your stove for hours on end. Make the process quick and easy by making them on a sheet pan with this sheet pan quesadilla recipe. The sheet pan cuts the time in half and still creates a meal that is cheesy and super crisp.
23. Air Fryer Bone-In Pork Chops
When I crave hearty protein for dinner, this air fryer bone-in pork chop is always my go-to. The air fryer cooks up the hunk of meat in no time flat and cooks it perfectly through. It’s a hearty meal I can easily have on the table in under 30 minutes.
24. Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
These air fryer popcorn chicken bites are super addicting. The popcorn chicken bites are a great alternative to chicken nuggets and excellent to add to salads and rice bowls. I love to keep extra in my freezer so I can have a quick and easy dinner whenever I want.
25. Air Fryer Chicken-Fried Steak
This air fryer chicken-friend steak recipe takes everything you know about classic chicken fried steak and throws it out the window. The air fryer removes the unnecessary oil and bakes the steak so it is perfectly crisp. Don’t forget to serve the protein with the homemade gravy!
26. Chicken Enchilada Bowls
These chicken enchilada bowls are one of my favorite meals to make when I want a quick meal that is super filling. I love that I can customize it to what I am in the mood for and keep the base fillings the same. The flavors are so bold and fresh for a dish that is ready in no time.
These Crave Worthy Dinners in Under 30 Minutes will hit the spot. Whether you need an easy weeknight meal or just want something comforting, these recipes are guaranteed to deliver on that craving. Which recipe will you try first? Let us know in the comments, and donโt forget to share this with someone who loves the quick and easy dinners!
