When it comes to trying to be creative in the kitchen these days, it’s always smart to have quick and easy dinner recipes up your sleeve. That’s why we’ve collected 50 dynamite dishes that take very little prep work and guarantee to satisfy the whole fam. Even better? Some of these quick meal ideas call for the slow cooker! Scroll down to see them all.
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Easy Whitefish with Burst Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
This simple summer recipe only takes 15 minutes! Throw together cherry tomatoes, a whitefish, basil and a few other pantry staples, and you're good to go! Get the recipe here.
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is a classic pasta dish, and this ground beef version from Chelsea's Messy Apron comes together quickly. It's a meal that even picky eaters can get behind. Get the recipe here.
Tomato Basil Pasta
You can't go wrong with fresh tomatoes and basil! This pasta is a crowd-pleaser, and you can always add veggies or chicken. Click here for the recipe.
Crock Pot Chicken from Heaven
It's right there in the title: this chicken is a little bit of heaven. It's also convenient, delicious and can be adapted for Paleo diets! Grab the recipe by clicking here.
Classic Fondue
Hooray for this fondue hack! Simply heat Trader Jacques’ La Fondue (made with three savory kinds of cheese) in the microwave for about five minutes. Et voilà! Learn more here.
Grilled Cheese with Apple & Jam
Give your classic grilled cheese a major upgrade with two ingredients you probably have on hand: apples and jam! Get the tasty recipe here.
Perfect Banana Mini Muffins
For a delish breakfast or snack on the quick, whip up a batch of these minis for your minis. They're the perfect banana-y treat for any day of the week! Score the recipe (courtesy of Siri Daly) here.
Carnitas Salad
Psst! If you toss together pre-cooked carnitas, cheese, avocado, salsa, cilantro salad dressing, sour cream and a bag of romaine lettuce, you'll get a delicious dinner. Learn more here.
Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
For a fuss-free dinner, bookmark this recipe from Dragonfly Home Recipes! All you need to do is brown the meat and have your trusty crock pot on hand. Check out the recipe here.
Tuna Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is simple, quick, and made with just a few ingredients! It's perfect for hot days or whenever you need an ultra-quick meal. Find the Weelicious recipe here.
Veggie-ful Mandarin Orange Chicken
This frozen TJ's meal is a guaranteed kid-pleaser and the best part is that it's easy to sneak in some veggies, too. (Think broccoli, peas and green peppers.) Learn more here.
Instant Pot Chili
Love your Instant Pot? You'll love this recipe from The Bearded Hiker! Just sauté your beef, add veggies, beans, and spices and the pressure cooker will do the rest. Click here for the recipe.
Pulled Pork Tacos
This adds up: Make Trader Joe’s Pulled Pork in the microwave in three minutes, get a super-tasty taco base. Then just add your favorite toppings and salsa! Learn more here.
Rainbow Wrap
Your kiddos will love this radiant wrap-up from Super Healthy Kids, which is chock-full of red, orange, green, purple and a dollop of cheese. Get the recipe here.
Taco Hot Dogs
Turn dinner into a tailgate with these genius dogs from Mama Gourmand. It's a tasty twist on chili dogs and the perfect weeknight meal. Snag the recipe for yourself here.
Individual Pizza Pies
Who knew that Trader Joe’s frozen naan bread makes a fab pizza crust? Let everyone pile on their fave toppings and give it a quick bake and dinner is served. Learn more here.
Butternut Squash Black Bean Wrap
Got a grill or panini press? Take a cue from Pinch of Yum and use it for this pocket of sweet butternut squash, warm black beans, and gooey cheese. For the recipe, click here.
Kid-friendly Curry
It's easy to get a taste of Thai with this Trader Joe's hack that uses coconut cream TJ's Thai Red Curry Sauce, pre-cooked all-natural chicken breast and three-minute rice. Don't forget the veggies! Learn more here.
Hawaiian Barbecue Pizza
With BBQ sauce, pineapple and rotisserie chicken, this pizza from Kim's Cravings couldn't be simpler. Get the kids in on the cooking to make dinnertime extra fun! Click here for the recipe.
Island Soyaki Rice Bowl with Meatballs
Throw together a tropical-inspired rice bowl with Trader Joe's party-size frozen mini meatballs, Island Soyaki marinade, grilled pineapple chunks and just a few other ingredients. Dinner is served! Learn more here.
Thai Chicken Pasta Salad
This pasta salad from I Wash You Dry calls for ramen noodles and rotisserie chicken—extra easy!—and sports crisp veggies and a flavorful sauce. Get the recipe here.
Next Level Ravioli
Trader Joe’s has a great selection of ravioli, and it's easy to change up the usual marinara sauce. Instead, opt for things like spinach, peas and Boursin cheese! Get inspired here.
Sweetie Pie Quesadilla
Sweet potatoes plus melted cheese? You'll love this quesadilla from Best Lunch Box Ever. It can be made ahead of time, and you can always throw in extra veggies! Make your own with this recipe.
One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
This awesome pasta dish isn't too fancy, sports kid-friendly ingredients, and is sure to be a new dinner fave. Bonus: it only gets one pot dirty! Get the how-to here.
Butternut Squash Soup
Trader Joe's butternut squash soup is tasty on its own—but you can make it even better with easy additions like cranberries, goat cheese and more! Get inspired with these ideas.
Pigs in a Blanket
Everyone's fave party app also makes a great dinner-in-a-pinch! And with just two ingredients and four steps, kids can help whip these up! Make your own with these instructions.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Creamy fettuccine Alfredo that's healthy, too? The secret to this recipe is sneaking spinach into the sauce and adding pre-cooked chicken. Get the recipe here.
Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers
Want a delicious veggie-centric dinner ASAP? How about stuffed peppers with quinoa and feta? Yep, it's as good as it sounds, and a healthy too! Get inspired to make your own here.
Grilled Cheese Rollups
Think outside the grilled cheese! These rollups have the classic taste kids love, with a just a bit of a twist. And they only take 10 minutes to make! Find out how here.
Pesto Pasta with Shrimp
Garlicky pesto + shrimp + your fave pasta? It's a match made in easy dinner heaven. For added mmm, throw in fresh basil, tomato and Parmesan! Learn more here.
Eggless Salad
Hey, vegans! This tofu treat from Lunchbox Bunch is the genius is great cold and can be made ahead of time, too! Get the recipe here.
Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken
This chicken recipe from Hello Spoonful is a keeper! It only has a few ingredients, so you can get this into the crock pot in the morning in less than ten minutes! Get the recipe here.
Warm "Winter" Salad
Sure, this is billed as a winter salad, but it's so tasty (and healthy!) we don't see any reason you can't enjoy the warm vinaigrette dressing, edamame and beets all year 'round. For more on this recipe, click here.
Brie Apple Cinnamon Quesadillas
For a sweet and savory treat, grab brie and apples! We've laid out the steps for you and the kiddos—it'll be your new fave quesadilla! Make your own with this recipe.
Gong Bao Chicken
This recipe (courtesy of Everyday Secret Restaurant Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek) is uber flavorful but oh-so-easy. There are only a few steps! Get the recipe here.
Salmon with Chili-Lime Sauce
Three cheers for the Instant Pot, which cooks up this salmon from Savory Tooth in just five minutes. Plus, there's a tangy sauce, rice, and a good dose of veggies. Find the recipe here.
Orzo Pasta Salad
With a simple mix of orzo pasta, mozzarella, grape tomatoes and fresh basil, you’ve got a pasta salad that's perfect for picnics and lunchboxes! Get the how-to here.
Squash Rice Bowl
Love Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning? That the star of this rice bowl, along with squash, broccoli, and precooked chicken. Learn how to make yours here.
Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
Try these creative meatballs (from Andi of The Weary Chef) as a quick lunch or pop ’em in a pot of pasta sauce. You can even use string cheese for the tasty middle! Check out the recipe here.
Steak Tacos
You can have Taco Tuesday any day of the week with TJ's prepped carne asada. Don't forget the avocado, cheese, sour cream and salsa! Learn more here.
Korean Beef Bowl
Thanks to Ambs Loves Food, you can fulfill your Korean food cravings in 15-20 mins. And you probably have the ingredient list in your pantry! Click here for the recipe.
Scallop Rolls
Channel a seaside vacation with an easy weeknight meal! All you need to do is saute Trader Joe's scallops with butter and seasonings, add sandwich fixings and enjoy! Learn more here.
Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Bites
These meatloaf bites from our friend Catherine McCord of Weelicious are petite versions of your fave comfort food. And you can bet they're perfect for kid taste buds! Find the recipe here.
BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Coleslaw
With a few shortcuts, you can serve up BBQ pork sandwiches PDQ! The key is pre-made shredded pork and a quick coleslaw mix. Learn more here.
Crispy Parmesan Crusted Fish
Want to introduce the kiddos to delish fish? Try this mild white fish covered in a crunchy parmesan crust. The ingredients are simple, and the flavors are excellent! Get the recipe here.
Chicken Pasta Salad
For an easy weeknight meal, this salad is good served warm or cold. The other magic ingredients include salsa, black beans, chopped chicken and creamy dressing. Learn more here.
Kiddie Cobb Salad
A kid-friendly salad? Hear us out. This quick recipe from Mom’s Kitchen Handbook features delicious add-ons like avocado, smoked turkey and egg. Add it to your menu with this recipe.
Easy Vegetarian Soft Tacos
Head's up! These tacos can be thrown together in less than five minutes. It starts with tortillas and refried beans and ends with toppings like salsa, cheese, guac, and greens. Learn more here.
Tricolor Pasta Salad
Why's this recipe, adapted from Melissa d’Arabian, such a winner? The multi-colored noodles don't hurt—neither do the healthy veggies. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki
Fact: Kids love teriyaki. Another fact? This recipe from Our Little Acre uses the slow cooker and is super simple to make. Snag the recipe by clicking here.
Slow Cooker Chicken Parm
We bet you can throw all three (yes, three) ingredients for this simple recipe in the crock pot during one commercial break. Then set it and forget it until it's time to dig in. Get the recipe here.
—Abigail Matsumoto
Featured Image: Engin Akyurt via Unsplash
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