What’s for Dinner Tonight? Easy Ideas

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Welcome to tonight’s easy dinner inspiration! If you’re wondering what’s for dinner tonight, we’ve got you covered with a delicious and hassle-free meal.

Dinner tonight

We have a variety of mouthwatering ideas to satisfy your cravings that are quick and easy and don’t need a ton of ingredients. From hearty salads and comforting pasta dishes to savory stir-fries and delightful creations, get ready to embark on a culinary adventure right in your own kitchen.

We all know on a busy weeknight we don’t need the hassle of a complicated meal. We need healthy, we need fast, and we need yummy. So grab your crock pot and set it up before you leave or set out some ingredients to come home and cook in a flash. You can use:

• Instant pot
• oven
• air fryer
• stove top

Make dinner in a flash that’s bursting with flavor!

Let’s start with the crock pot. Check out these amazing set it and forget it meals that you can come home to. When I worked outside the home as a clerical worker at OSU, I LOVED coming home from a long and stressful day on the job to the house smelling amazing and dinner ready to go.

Crock Pot meals for dinner tonight:

• Slow Cooker Beef Roast Recipe
• Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Teriyaki Recipe
• Rotel Pork Chops Slow Cooker Recipe
• Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
• Slow Cooker Corned Beef
• Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs
• Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy
• Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew

Ideas for dinner tonight

If you didn’t set up dinner before you left in the slow cooker, no worries, there are still plenty of great options for a meal that aren’t ridiculous to get on the table. My favorite meals are sheet pan meals because I love roasted meats and vegetables. Plus you prep it, toss it in the oven, and it bakes itself while you are helping with homework, cleaning up, giving baths, or unwinding from the day.

Here are some of my favorites:

• 20 Sheet Pan Ideas for Dinner
• Lemon-Thyme Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
• Sheet-Pan Szechuan Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
• Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe
• Honey Sriracha Salmon
• Italian Pork Tenderloin Sheet Pan Dinner

The next fast idea is the air fryer. I have the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Oven and I love it because it cooks so many different ways. Here are my favorite dishes to make in a snap:

• Ninja Foodi Pork Chops {Air Fryer Pork Recipes}
• Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Breast
• Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
• Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies
• Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
• Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Salmon
• Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Cornish Hens
• Air Fryer Pizza Wontons 
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks with Egg Roll Wrappers
• Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Bread Seasoning
• Air Fryer Pita Pizza
• Air Fryer Avocado Egg Rolls
• Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos

Another great fast dinner tool is the instant pot! Here are some of the recipes we have as stand bys:

• (Instant Pot) Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
• Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Pork Tenderloin Casserole Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• 11 Instant Pot Recipes Kids Will Love
• 10 Instant Pot Chicken Soup Recipes
• 20 Easy Instant Pot Recipes

And one more favorite category for easy dinners is skillet meals. I love to saute a bunch of stuff up and end up with dinner in just a few minutes. Check out these skillet meals:

• Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe (20 Minute Meal)
• One Pan Cheeseburger Pasta
• Brussels Sprout and Sweet Potato Bacon Saute Recipe
• 20 Minute Skillet Chicken and Spinach Parmesan
• Monterey Chicken

What to make for dinner tonight

Of course, there are so many great recipes that don’t fall into one of those main categories that get dinner on the table in a flash. Consider making freezer meals in bulk ahead of time and have quick meals ready.

Then throwing meat on the grill or whipping up salads is also a great idea for quick meals. A big pot of chili that you make Sunday cooking it low and slow can be several meals for the week. The same thing for spaghetti. You can use that sauce on noodles, over chicken, or in buns for sloppy joes. You can even make a spaghetti pie to reinvent it quickly. Lasagna too!

Or I love making a big pork roast and using it a ton of different ways throughout the week. I do it with a whole chicken as well. Saves time and money doing that for sure. Here are some more ideas:

• Grilled Chicken Salad: Fresh mixed greens, grilled chicken slices, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and a light vinaigrette dressing.
• Stir-Fry: Colorful vegetables and tofu stir-fried in a savory sauce, served over steamed rice.
• Stuffed Bell Peppers: Bell peppers filled with cooked quinoa, black beans, diced tomatoes, and spices, then baked until tender.
• Pizza: Simple and delicious pizza topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves.
• BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches: Slow-cooked pulled pork mixed with barbecue sauce, piled on soft buns, and topped with coleslaw.
• Quesadillas: Flour tortillas filled with sautéed bell peppers, onions, black beans, and melted cheese.
• One-Pot Chicken and Rice: Chicken thighs cooked with rice, peas, carrots, and spices in one pot for easy cleanup.

I hope you feel as inspired as I do for some dinner ideas tonight. Happy cooking!