Whether you refer to your main meal of the day as dinner or supper, one thing we can all agree on is that easy dinner mains are an absolute necessity!
Life is busy, packed full days, but everyone has to eat at some point.
Sure, restaurants love to have a business, but a homemade meal is comforting and allows control over the ingredients used.
If meal prep isn’t exactly your forte, and no one says it has to be, this list of seventy-five easy dinner main entrees are ones you can revisit on a regular basis and always know they will be tasty and satisfying.
The best part about easy main dishes for dinner is that while the basic recipe is sound, most have levels of modification, allowing for different results.
Say you’re making burritos.
Well, there are a lot of options when it comes to fillings.
Same with tacos or pasta dishes where veggies or proteins can easily be swapped inside the recipe.
Easy dinner main dishes become routine in the sense that not much brain power has to be put into making them because they are so familiar.
Whether you are cooking for one or a family of ten, it is great to know that the night’s easy dinner main course is one that will turn out delicious and please everyone.
Among the recipes listed, you will find recipes for sheet pan meals, casseroles, skillet meals, instant pot, slow cooker meals, baked, grilled, and simply thrown together meals.
Of course, “easy” is a hard word to define, and while the recipe I provide may not be the one you actually use, it might jog your memory about a recipe you already have or perhaps even a new one you would like to try.
So here’s to collecting a working list of easy dinner mains.
If you grow it to ninety by adding fifteen of your own, three months’ worth of recipes would be at your disposal with no repeats.
How cool is that?!
Pizza is absolutely at the top of this easy dinner mains list since it always brings smiles all around, and bonus because it can be made with so many different toppings.
This recipe uses a flatbread for the crust, meaning pizza dinner can be ready in fifteen minutes.
Skillet-made easy dinner main entrees are fabulous, and this chicken and wild rice in a parmesan sauce is lovely.
The wild rice takes an hour to make and could even be made the day before.
Wonderful seasonings make this a winner!
3. Burrito
Burritos are easy dinner main dishes and can be filled with literally any protein, veggie, or carb.
This recipe specifically includes ingredients that have less moisture so they will not become soggy and are freezer friendly.
Items like salsa or sour cream, or guacamole make fantastic toppings.
Fish and chips make for easy main dishes for dinner no matter what type of fish you have, whether cod, tilapia, catfish, or salmon.
This recipe uses the air fryer, cooking the homemade potato fries first and the fish second.
If you have a penchant for red curry, this easy dinner main course of Thai Red Curry Noodles will be right up your alley.
This vegan recipe using brown rice noodles comes together in fifteen minutes and can be served alongside veggies or protein for a full meal.
My next easy dinner mains is a warming bowl of slow cooker chili.
Chili is another wonderful recipe that can be modified in many ways.
There are many options for ground beef or ground turkey, beans or no beans, spicy or mild.
This is a great baseline recipe.
While the slow cooker is out, other easy dinner main entrees are waiting in line, like this gumbo.
Full of chicken, sausage, shrimp, veggies, and seasonings, gumbo is commonly served over rice.
We turn to the Instant Pot now for some easy dinner main dishes like this Beef Stroganoff, which includes ground beef, egg noodles, and a homemade mushroom sauce.
Luxurious and creamy and filling.
I’m not sure there is a wrong way to make mac and cheese as an easy dinner main course, but there certainly are many different ways.
This recipe starts with cooking the pasta, adding a cheese sauce made of shredded cheeses, and transferring it to a casserole dish for baking with more cheese on top.
Definitely cheesy on all accounts.
Spaghetti & Meatballs is an easy dinner main course that has stood the test of time.
It is one that has easy meatball and sauce pre-made options, or if time allows, they can be homemade.
Always a sure thing when guests pop over!
11. Chicken Pot Pie
When you have chicken (or turkey) to use, an easy dinner mains option would be Chicken Pot Pie.
Some soup, protein, and veggies all poured into a refrigerated pie crust, to create a delectable dinner.
If steaming soup is what you want, an easy dinner main course idea would be Potato & Bacon Soup.
This recipe is made from Velveeta cheese, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Lusciously creamy and delicious!
Enchiladas make delicious easy dinner main dishes.
Again they can be made in so many different ways with different fillings and sauces.
This recipe has six simple steps to follow before baking.
This vintage recipe definitely has a place as easy main dishes for dinner.
It takes a ground beef mixture to wrap in cabbage leaves with a tomato sauce on top.
Pictures are included if you are new to cabbage rolls.
15. Lasagna
Lasagna is one of the best easy dinner main entrees on the Italian side of things.
No pre-cooking of noodles is necessary.
Again, customizable, whether you use ground beef, Italian sausage, or mushrooms, it turns out fabulous.
A bright green side completes the meal.
This pork easy dinner mains is wrapped in bacon and sweetened with brown sugar, a fabulous combination.
The recipe includes cooking potatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli right alongside.
For a decidedly German easy dinner main entrees, consider brats and sauerkraut baked with diced tomatoes.
Tomatoes calm the tang and, once loaded in a warmed bun, makes a sensational entree.
Salisbury steak is another throwback easy dinner main dish.
It is so easy to form the patties, make a gravy from flavor mixes to pour over, and add fresh chopped mushrooms on top and bake.
Whether you have eaten at P.F. Chang’s restaurant or not, this easy dinner main course of teriyaki chicken lettuce wraps is a good one.
Any ground meat will work; just keep the mixture separate from the lettuce leaves until ready to serve and enjoy.
For a bright and flavorful, easy dinner main course, this Sausage & Rice Skillet will come in handy.
Again, veggies can be easily swapped, jalapenos added for spice, and any cooked rice or sausage can be used.
Chicken parmesan provides comfort extraordinaire to this easy dinner mains entry.
The chicken is breaded and baked with marinara, mozzarella, and parmesan on top!
It can be served with a side of linguini or fresh veggies.
Sunday easy dinner main entrees often turn to large cuts of meat to satisfy a whole family.
A classic pot roast is at the top of that list with carrots and potatoes cooked in a dutch oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Adjust the cooking time based on the size of the roast.
Be forewarned, some easy dinner main dishes can lean to the spicy side of things, like Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor with chipotles in adobo sauce, chili powder, and red onions.
All this, of course, is negotiable as you make it for your taste preferences, as tacos are an easy winner for most.
24. Shepherd’s Pie
Ground beef makes so many easy main dishes for dinner!
A delightful shepherd’s pie is next with ground beef, brown gravy, and frozen vegetables made on the stovetop.
Homemade or instant mashed potatoes work fine.
Moving right along I have a fan favorite easy dinner main course of kebabs coming at ya.
A wonderfully variable entree whether you have exactly what a recipe calls for, like these Hawaiian Kebabs with chicken, pineapple, green peppers, and red onions, or simply have any protein or veggies to use up.
Oven-baked ribs make easy dinner mains that can be combined with various veggies or salad sides, not to mention baked potatoes or fries, to complete the meal.
Baking low and slow with a dry rub and a fantastic sauce makes for a winning combination.
27. Zucchini Boats
When zucchini is plentiful, Zucchini Boats make easy dinner main entrees.
Filled with Italian sausage, sauce, and mozzarella cheese, these are easy to make and bake.
YUM!
28. Three Bean Soup
When a warm filling soup is what you want, easy dinner main dishes like this Three Bean Soup are perfect with a side of bread or salad.
Whether you soak beans or use canned beans, this recipe has endless combinations in the bean department, rounded out with onion, carrot, and celery slices.
Seafood lovers will enjoy this easy dinner main course of Garlic Shrimp With Parmesan that is cooked in a buttery sauce.
These shrimp delicacies can be enjoyed over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, zucchini noodles, or steamed vegetables.
This Korean bowl is filled to the rim with delicious ground beef, seasoned spinach, pickled red onions, veggies, eggs, and rice as an easy dinner main course.
This Asian-inspired dish is sure to please and easy to personalize.
This classic Indian chicken curry is an easy dinner main enjoyed worldwide.
This butter chicken has a creamy sauce with a spice blend that is mild but could easily be ramped up if you prefer.
32. Beef Burgers
Camping or traveling, or picnicking means easy dinner main entrees are in demand.
Top of that list would be hamburgers.
Oh yes, seasoned and cooked to juicy perfection.
This recipe adds salt, pepper, dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce into the patties.
A topping bar is a must so everyone can dress their burgers as they like best.
Tortellini is part of several easy dinner main dishes, and this recipe is for Tomato Basil Tortellini Skillet, which includes baby spinach, heavy cream, and vegetable broth.
Beautiful, creamy, and delicious!
Quesadillas are easy main dishes for dinner with a wide variety of filling combinations.
This recipe is for a chicken, peppers, onions, taco seasoning, and cheese mixture to be spooned inside a flour tortilla, folded over in a skillet, and cooked till golden.
35. Tuna Casserole
This easy dinner main course of Tuna Casserole is a classic by all definitions.
Flaky tuna mixed with egg noodles, peas, celery, and mushroom soup makes a creatively textured casserole with a buttery breadcrumb topping that is easy to make, bake and serve.
Chicken is never boring in these easy dinner mains like cordon bleu.
I mean, ham and cheese stuffed inside a chicken breast coated in breadcrumbs, baked, and smothered with a creamy sauce just oozes deliciousness.
37. Frito Pie
Fun picnic easy dinner main entrees to consider might include this Frito Pie.
As a long-standing favorite casserole of sorts, this recipe has a chili-type base topped with Fritos corn chips, cheese, and green onions.
Sometimes it is built the opposite, with the Fritos as the base with the ground beef mixture and cheese on top.
Sheet pan prepared easy dinner main dishes are wonderful since everything is cooked on the same pan for the correct amount of time for each ingredient.
Here chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, broccoli, and red onions are baked together.
Lots of room for customization based on seasonal availability and family preferences.
Spicy ramen noodles as an easy dinner main course is a welcome dinner on a budget.
This recipe includes a sauce, saute mixture, and seasoned noodles.
Season as you see fit!
Here couscous is turned into an easy dinner main course as a salad.
It includes corn cut off the cob, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches, basil, and feta cheese in a honey lime dressing.
No leftovers here!
41. Hot Dog Bar
Hot dogs are easy dinner mains, especially when grilling.
So many choices between types of hot dogs and types of toppings.
A bar set up with the usual ingredients and a few specialty ones like chili, cheese, bacon, and coleslaw is bound to please everyone.
This one of my easy dinner main entrees takes me back to my childhood as we ate this chicken, broccoli, and rice creation several times a month.
So easy to make in one skillet, rice and all.
Another savory choice for easy dinner main dishes would be meatloaf.
Easily served with any type of potatoes and veggies.
This recipe creates a juicy meatloaf with a stuffing mix, butter, and eggs.
Optional sauce recipe included.
When the cooked ham is waiting to be used as an easy main dish for dinner, Split Pea Soup is a fantastic choice.
The slow cooker method is wonderful, and you can control how thick or thin it is along the way.
There is no way to go wrong with this easy dinner main course of Italian sausage pasta with rigatoni, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and herbs.
Add your preferred type of cheese on top.
Super tasty, easy dinner mains sometimes take a tried and true entree and present it in a new way like this Chili Dog Casserole.
It includes leftover or canned chili, hot dogs, cheese, and tater tots.
Lots of room for personalization with seasonings.
Stuffed pork chops are easy dinner main entrees, and this recipe tastes amazing with dried cranberry, apple piece, and stuffing mixture.
Once all the ingredients are gathered, it comes together quickly.
48. French Toast
Often the memorable easy dinner main dishes are the unexpected ones, like when breakfast is served for dinner.
Here three different takes on French toast are shared with recipes for classic French toast, vegan French toast, and baked French toast.
Pass the syrup, please!
Twenty minutes to make this easy dinner main course of Baked Salmon With Garlic & Dijon.
The marinade and lemon slices are added to the top of each filet before baking or air frying.
Simply amazing!
Steak bites are a scrumptious, easy dinner main course.
These are cooked in the air fryer with salt, pepper, and soy sauce.
Lots of spice variations and unending ways to serve it on rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, macaroni, and cheese, or with any veggie in between.
A Grandma is to thank for the base of this easy dinner mains idea of Chicken Noodle Soup.
This recipe keeps it simple with broth, chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and wide egg noodles.
Comforting, delicious, and oh so brothy.
This recipe for easy dinner main entrees is as straightforward as it seems.
Cook up the Italian sausage, then penne pasta with broth, adding tomatoes and kale at the proper intervals with parmesan on top.
If you don’t care for tomatoes, this is your recipe.
Full salads are easy dinner main dishes like this Cobb Salad.
All the yummies in one place, including grilled chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, red onions, cucumber slices, and avocado.
This salad is easily adaptable for different eating plans.
Tilapia takes center stage in this easy main dish for dinner that is baked with a lovely parmesan, lemon pepper, and parsley mixture.
Go easy on the salt, top with green onion, and serve with your favorite sides.
Simple definitely defines this easy dinner main course of Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.
Slice the chicken and peppers, and add olive oil and seasonings before spreading it all out on a baking sheet or dish for cooking.
These fajitas can be served in tortillas, in rice bowls, or on top of salads.
This buddha bowl with baked peanut tofu easily fits my easy dinner mains list.
A tasty marinade of tamari, sesame oil, and maple syrup is added to the diced, dried, and cubed tofu for twenty minutes before baking.
Saute veggies and add the delicious peanut sauce when assembling.
The ever-popular cilantro lime flavor makes easy dinner main entrees spectacular.
This dish with chicken can be grilled, baked, or cooked on the stovetop.
It all starts with marinating the chicken, then cook it your favorite way, and serving it in your favorite style.
Yes, most stuffed pepper recipes use a mixture that includes rice, so this is a variation without rice that can be added to your collection of easy dinner main dishes.
The mixture includes lean ground beef, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, polenta, Italian seasoning, and mozzarella cheese.
Lots of tips are included as well as other add-in options.
Shrimp, zucchini noodles, and a fantastic array of seasonings make this easy dinner main course a no-brainer.
It comes together in fifteen minutes and is a kissing cousin to shrimp scampi.
Bonus since it only uses one skillet.
Fried chicken is an easy dinner main course that comes with a craving that can hit you out of nowhere.
This recipe makes a crispy coating with either breadcrumbs or panko and mild or spicy seasonings.
The three-step coating includes flour, egg, and crumb mixture before baking.
So many good uses for meatballs come to mind as easy dinner mains.
Yummy on their own or on a bed of rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Multiple meat options can be mixed with an egg, onions, garlic, and seasonings formed into balls and cooked on the stovetop.
Tangy homemade barbeque sauce recipe included.
Recipes handed down through families are wonderful easy dinner main entrees like this ham potato bake.
It combines cooked cubed ham, potato slices, onions, and a creamy cheese sauce layered multiple times in a casserole dish much like lasagna.
Creamy deliciousness!
A favorite among beef lovers is a good beef stew for easy dinner main dishes.
Since veggies are part of the stew, all that’s needed is a side salad or a buttery slice of bread.
Instructions are given for stovetop, Instant Pot, or slow cooker preparation.
Stir fries are easy main dishes for dinner.
This recipe guides you through selections of mixed and matchable veggies and sauces.
So many options that every time a stir fry is made, it can be different.
65. Chicken Alfredo
Another savory and easy dinner main course would be Chicken Alfredo with alfredo sauce, parmesan baked chicken, and fettuccine pasta.
While the chicken is baking, the sauce is stirred, and the fettucini is boiled to all come together perfectly.
Easy dinner mains that center around pasta are typically well-loved.
Here zucchini, spinach, and tomatoes make for a satisfying meatless meal when a lighter meal is desired.
Fresh veggies could be subbed and protein added on different occasions.
Another satisfying soup for easy dinner main entrees would be this Cheeseburger Soup.
Cheesy, creamy, and spicy describe this soup with ground beef, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, butter, broth, milk, sour cream, potatoes, and Pepper Jack Velveeta.
Great pictures and multiple cooking method options explained.
Fall-apart tender pulled pork is an excellent choice among easy dinner main dishes since it cooks for hours in a slow cooker with savory spices and seasonings.
Pork shoulder, or pork butt as it is also called, is a great cut.
69. Greek Salad
The distinct flavor profile of a Greek salad is delicious and an easy dinner main course.
All the usual suspects of tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives.
Simple dressing adds so much to this tangy salad.
When you have a whole chicken to cook as your easy dinner main course, this Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken recipe will get it cooked easily.
Seasoning is applied to the chicken before cooking in two different stages.
Be sure to account for the natural release time in the end.
When a filling sandwich is what you want to serve as an easy dinner main, sloppy Joe’s fill the bill.
This homemade recipe uses ground beef, tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers, red onion, and spices.
Your favorite bun will do nicely!
Beef and broccoli, perhaps the most popular stir-fries, is also an easy dinner main entree.
It’s a low-maintenance meal with a tender cut of beef, broccoli, broth, sesame oil, and a touch of sugar.
Lots of great tips for cooking and serving included.
Creamy chili is a welcome easy dinner main dish for many a cool evening.
The base comprises shredded chicken, white beans, corn, cream cheese, and seasonings.
Add as much or a little spice to warm it as you like.
74. Salmon Cakes
These Salmon Cakes are a great choice if you enjoy salmon but want a little something different for easy main dishes for dinner.
Cooked salmon is shredded and mixed with mayo, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg, pepper, parsley, and breadcrumbs then formed into patties.
The lemon dill sauce adds a zippy zest.
To close this list, my last easy dinner main course is a sheet pan meal of chicken apple sausage, maple roasted veggies, and potatoes.
Lots of flexibility here for different sausages or veggies so use your favorite and enjoy the ease of baking them altogether.
The bottom line
I hope this list of easy dinner mains fills your days with a tasty dinner rotation, keeping mealtime interesting, satisfying, and enjoyable!
Easy Dinner Mains
Whether you refer to your main meal of the day as dinner or supper, one thing we can all agree on is that easy dinner mains are an absolute necessity!
Ingredients
- Margherita Flatbread Pizza
- Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice
- Burrito
- Air Fryer Fish & Chips
- Thai Red Curry Noodles
- Crockpot Chili
- Slow Cooker Gumbo (Red Creole Style)
- Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
- Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese
- Spaghetti & Meatballs
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Potato & Bacon Soup (With Velveeta Cheese)
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls
- Lasagna
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Oven-Baked Brats & Sauerkraut
- Salisbury Steak Bake
- Copycat P.F. Chang's Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Sausage & Rice Skillet With Peppers
- Cheesy Chicken Parmesan
- Classic Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor
- Shepherd's Pie
- Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
- Oven BBQ Baked Ribs
- Zucchini Boats
- Three Bean Soup
- Creamy Garlic Shrimp With Parmesan
- Authentic Korean Ground Beef Rice Bowl (Bibimbap)
- Butter Chicken-Indian Style
- Beef Burgers
- Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Skillet
- Chicken Quesadillas-Fajita Style
- Tuna Casserole
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Frito Pie
- Sheet Pan Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
- Spinach Mushroom Ramen Noodles
- Summer Couscous Salad
- Hot Dog Bar
- Skillet Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice
- Simple Stuffing Meatloaf
- Crockpot Split Pea Soup
- Italian Sausage Pasta
- Tater Tot Chili Dog Casserole
- Cranberry Apple Stuffed Pork Chops
- French Toast
- Baked Salmon With Garlic & Dijon
- Air Fryer Juicy Steak Bites
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- One Pan Penne Sausage & Kale
- Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad With Honey Dijon
- Parmesan Crusted Tilapia (Baked Lemon Pepper Tilapia)
- Sheet Pan Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas
- Crispy Baked Peanut Tofu Bowls
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- No-Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Skillet Shrimp Zucchini Noodles
- Oven Fried Chicken
- Barbecue Meatballs
- Country Ham Potato Bake
- Classic Homemade Beef Stew
- Stir Fry Recipes to Mix & Match
- Chicken Alfredo
- Farfalle Pasta With Zucchini, Spinach, & Tomatoes
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Greek Salad
- Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
- Authentic Sloppy Joe
- Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry
- White Chicken Chili
- Salmon Cakes
- Chicken Apple Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Instructions
- Find your favorite recipe from our Easy Dinner Mains list.
- Gather all the ingredients needed.
- Start cooking and make us proud!