40 Super-Simple Dinner Recipes for New Cooks

updated Nov 30, 2023

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Pearl Jones/Kitchn
Tomato Soup with Stuffed Gnocchi and Spinach

We’ve rounded up 40 of our favorite recipes for absolute beginners (and for cooks who just want an easy button tonight). This is a treasure trove of recipes that are actually, truly, we swear! so easy, but incredibly satisfying and delicious too.

Credit: Olive and Mango

Hummus-Crusted Chicken

In This Article

What Makes These Recipes Great for Beginners
Recipes with a short ingredient list
Recipes that only need one pan
Recipes with a short cook time
Slow Cooker Recipes
Sheet Pan Recipes
Smart Shortcut Recipes

What Makes These Recipes Great for Beginners

They have a short ingredient list: Sometimes five ingredients, or even three, are all you need.
They only need one pan: Recipes that call for minimal cookware, like sheet pan suppers and one-pot pastas, are usually easy to cook but also easy to clean up.
They have a short cook time: Recipes with just a few steps and a short cook time are not going to involve a lot of prep work. Period.
They have a smart shortcut. At Kitchn, we love a good shortcut — like using a bottle of salad dressing as a sauce or leaning on pre-shredded veggies to make dinner easier and faster.

Recipes with a short ingredient list

1 / 6

Tomato Soup with Gnocchi and Spinach

A bag of frozen filled gnocchi and fresh baby spinach from Trader Joe's is all you need to turn a box of creamy tomato soup into classy comfort food.

2 / 6

Hummus-Crusted Chicken

A swipe of hummus and a sprinkling of smoky seasoning gives ho-hum chicken breasts a tender, golden-brown crust and a moist interior.

3 / 6

3-Ingredient Pesto Zoodle Bowl

A simple recipe for sautéed zucchini noodles tossed with pesto, and topped with a fried egg.

4 / 6

Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Dumpling Skillet

Boiled dumplings are paired with snappy asparagus and an easy cream sauce in this super-fast dinner.

5 / 6

3-Ingredient Baked Caesar Chicken

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are smothered in creamy Caesar dressing and baked until golden, then showered withParmesan before heading under the broiler to get nice and bubbly.

6 / 6

2-Ingredient Banana Pancakes

A step-by-step guide to making pancakes out of two ingredients: bananas and eggs.

Recipes that only need one pan

1 / 6

A quick 5-ingredient pasta dinner filled with broccoli and cheese that's made in just one pot.

2 / 6

Red Lentil Soup

This quick and easy recipe for lentil soup puts a hearty vegetarian dinner on the table in just about 30 minutes.

3 / 6

French Onion Soup One-Pot Pasta

This one-pot pasta cooked with beef broth, caramelized oniions, and port boasts all the classic flavors of French Onion soup.

4 / 6

Easy, Creamy Beef and Shells

If you grew up loving Hamburger Helper, you're going to love this quick and easy from-scratch version of cheesy beef and shells.

5 / 6

Gnocchi Skillet with Chicken Sausage & Tomatoes Go to Recipe

6 / 6

Tomato Tortellini Soup

This creamy, tangy tomato soup is studded with tender tortellini and comes together in just 20 minutes.

Recipes with a short cook time

1 / 6

One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo

A recipe for quick and easy tomato orzo studded with chickpeas, which is made in just one pot.

2 / 6

Garlic Butter Shrimp

A fast and easy skillet recipe for shrimp in garlic butter sauce.

3 / 6

10-Minute Black Bean Tacos

Here’s another recipe that kind of feels like cheating: Open a can of black beans, heat up some good tortillas (these favorites are even available on Amazon; we keep them in the freezer).

4 / 6

Chicken Teriyaki

Inspired by the take-out classic, this easy chicken teriyaki is made with boneless chicken breast and a simple pantry sauce that comes together in 20 minutes.

5 / 6

Gnocchi with Asparagus, Edamame, and Parmesan

This gnocchi is crisped in a skillet, then tossed with asparagus, edamame, Parm, and lemon, and best of all it's ready in 10 minutes.

6 / 6

Miso-Buttered Mushrooms & Noodles

Reach in the back of your fridge for that tub of miso paste, because it will singlehandedly treat you to the best buttered noodles you have ever tasted.

Slow Cooker Recipes

1 / 4

Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Chicken

Slow cooker BBQ shredded chicken is an easy weeknight dinner that can be made with chicken breasts, thighs, or a combo of the two.

2 / 4

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Slow cooker baked ziti is just like the traditional casserole with tender noodles swimming in marinara & mixed with a double dose of gooey, melted cheese.

3 / 4

Slow Cooker Shredded Balsamic Beef

Shredded beef is honestly what we are craving and we love to make it in big batches and then freeze for easy meal prep.

4 / 4

Sausage and Lentil Soup

A simple but very classy, French-inspired lentil stew.

Sheet Pan Recipes

1 / 6

Sheet Pan Honey-Dijon Chicken and Vegetables

A weeknight-friendly sheet pan dinner of tender chicken, broccoli, potatoes, and red onion, tossed in a sweet and savory honey-Dijon glaze.

2 / 6

Whole30 Chicken

This 5-ingredient sheet pan chicken is a meal plan whether you're following Whole30 or not.

3 / 6

Mixed Mushroom Sheet Pan Gnocchi

An easy recipe for 3-ingredient sheet pan gnocchi with mushrooms and shallots.

4 / 6

BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Green Beans and Cauliflower

Lean pork tenderloin is brushed with BBQ sauce, partnered with a couple veggies, and tossed on a sheet pan for an easy dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes.

5 / 6

Sheet Pan Mustard Maple Salmon

This whole meal of mustard-glazed salmon, crispy potatoes, and asparagus cooks on a single sheet pan.

6 / 6

Baked Chicken and Veggies

A quick recipe for roasted chicken and mixed vegetables that's perfect for meal prep.

1 / 6

Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili

One bite into this ultra-hearty slow cooker chili and you just might question if it's really vegan after all.

2 / 6

Roasted Tomato Soup

The “roasted tomato” here is actually roasted canned tomatoes, which is a genius way to punch up your canned tomatoes.

3 / 6

Easy, gluten-free salmon patties made with canned salmon and flavored simply with dill, lemon, and Dijon.

4 / 6

Crispy White Beans with Greens and Poached Egg

It answers the comforting call of breakfast for dinner, and though it's so simple, a couple poached eggs know how to kick it up a notch.

5 / 6

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

A classic Italian recipe for spaghetti with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and parsley.

6 / 6

Marinated White Beans

A recipe for quick, garlicky marinated white beans that can be enjoyed on toast, tossed with grains, or eaten on their own as a side dish.

Smart Shortcut Recipes

1 / 5

Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

Headed out to the grocery for a precious stock-up? Grab a rotisserie chicken and make these tacos.

2 / 5

Sausage Meatball Soup

A comforting recipe for pasta and mini meatball soup made with Italian sausage.

3 / 5

Egg Roll Skillet

A healthy take on the classic Chinese appetizer that you can actually eat as dinner.

4 / 5

Busy Philipps' 15-Minute Miracle Minestrone

In under 20 minutes, you can transform pantry and freezer staples into a very good minestrone soup.

5 / 5

Easy Shepherd's Pie

A few smart shortcuts, including a bag of frozen veggies and the use of a cast iron skillet, makes this the easiest shepherd's pie recipe.

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