30 Easy Family Dinner Recipes We Make All the Time

Stephanie W.:  Saute bite-sized chicken breast and chopped broccoli in a simple stir-fry sauce. Spoon onto a bed of rice and your easy weeknight dinner is served! To make this an even simpler recipe, we use microwaveable rice and frozen broccoli. From Gimme Some Oven

Amanda Banta:  These bean burritos are right up my alley because they are easy to cook, healthy and a meatless recipe I can serve my entire family. All five ingredients go into the skillet, creating a warm, creamy masterpiece. Serve over rice or wrap up in tortillas and top with slices of avocado, fresh diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and whatever toppings you like. Use the mild Rotel if you want to reduce the spicy factor for young kids. From Heather Likes Food

Kelly R.:  I love making blended soups for my family, because they're easy and can discreetly contain a lot of healthful ingredients. This vegan butternut squash soup is delicious, and requires almost no effort. The squash goes into the oven whole (no squash cutting kitchen accidents!) and once roasted is pureed in the blender with coconut milk and a few other simple ingredients. From Mom's Kitchen Handbook

christadiserio:  This baked ziti recipe is a must-try. There's very little prep involved and the dish can be thrown into the oven while you help the kids with homework. Instead of cooking chicken breasts, you can also buy a rotisserie chicken, which shreds nicely, too. Pair this with a side salad and you've got yourself a tasty & healthy (more importantly: easy) meal! From Gimme Some Oven

Kristy Pepping:  What I like about this recipe is it is not only fast, but portable. I am always in the car running from one activity to the next and sometimes we are eating in the car. These are made in mini muffin tins so easy to eat on the go or for school lunch. From Rachael Ray

Kelly R.:  Zucchini noodles and traditional spaghetti noodles are combined with store bought pesto and lemon, for a more nutritious but still kid-friendly twist on pasta pesto. The zucchini cooks with the heat of the freshly-drained pasta, so the messy pots and pans (and the effort) are kept to a minimum. It's one of my favorite easy family dinner ideas for summer! From Mom's Kitchen Handbook

Kristy Pepping:  This soup is a huge hit for the entire family! It is super easy to make. I will add my family hates mushrooms and kale so this recipe can easily be modified. We added stewed tomatoes and zucchini instead. From Damn Delicious

Kelly R.:  The flavor of this dish is deceptively complex, even though it just calls for a handful of simple ingredients. It's one of my go-to easy family dinner recipes! The Italian sausage (use a chicken or turkey variety if you prefer) makes it delicious, and makes even the leafy greens kid-approved. From Real Simple

Kristy Pepping:  I love easy family dinner recipes where you can cook an entire meal all together! My kids really like lemon chicken so this recipe incorporates lots of tasty lemon slices. It also includes potatoes and green beans for the perfectly balanced dinner. I have also made this with baby carrots which worked just as well. If you have a larger family, you can easily add another piece of chicken or two. From Cooking Light

christadiserio:  This four-ingredient pesto chicken is a perfect easy weeknight dinner. The flavors of the pesto combined with the mozzarella cheese are pretty incredible. Different sides include pasta, cauliflower rice, or quinoa. For a time saver, use 1.5 lbs of chicken strips to save yourself some cutting time. From Kalyn's Kitchen

christadiserio:  I cannot even begin to describe how scrumptious this dish is. This buttery, garlicky, lemony shrimp is, first of all, incredibly easy to make and second of all, delicious - oops, did I already say that? This shrimp can be served on top of pasta, with a side of rice or couscous. It tastes great with anything - even on its own. From Gimme Some Oven

christadiserio:  This recipe is a healthier version of the delicious Hamburger Helper you ate as a kid. It uses minimal and everyday ingredients, which is great especially when you're looking for easy family dinner ideas you can throw together after a long day. If you feel like going a step further in making this recipe even healthier, you can always substitute ground turkey for the beef. From The Defined Dish

Stephanie W.:  Trader Joe's has many easy family dinner recipes but this is my favorite one so far! This layered casserole is super flavorful and easy to make, especially if you use their recommended Pork Carnitas which is already cooked (easily substituted for ground beef if that sounds better to you!). Just layer corn tortilla strips, enchilada sauce, cheese and the meat mixture and bake. Your kids will love this yummy Mexican dish! From Trader Joe's

Kristy Pepping:  My kids love spaghetti and this 5-ingredient carbonara dish is super easy to throw together. One of my go-to easy family dinner ideas when I'm wondering what should I make! For an even healthier version, use turkey bacon and whole wheat pasta. From Damn Delicious

Katie G.:  These mini meatloaves are not only adorable, they're healthy too! Using ground turkey instead of beef and oats instead of white bread, you'll be saving on calories and fat. Plus the kids will love the cute muffin-shaped size. Serve some for an easy family dinner and freeze the rest for a weeknight meal or lunch. From Food Network