Simple family meals. That’s the common goal. But with life’s chaos, different schedules and a variety of palates, getting everyone to gather and enjoy can prove challenging. We’d like to help you move from mealtime rut to champion of dinner. With these 11 simple, no-sweat recipes—like chicken quesadilla, lettuce wraps, ramen salad, a sneaky way to serve broccoli and ~really~ easy meatballs—you’re well on your way to a victory. Maybe even of the next-day lunchbox, too.
Dan Dan Noodles
One-pan meals don’t have to rely on a pound of ground beef and a boxed mix. This traditional Sichuan dish comes together even more quickly using ground pork—seasoned with ingredients you likely have in your cupboard—and veggies served over fresh Asian noodles that cook in just a few minutes. Get the recipe:
Dan Dan Noodles
Sesame Ramen Salad With Chicken And Celery
These noodles are a fun way to make a store-bought rotisserie chicken exciting and new. Don’t be put off by what looks like a long list of ingredients—you likely already have all of these on hand, and they just need to be whisked together.
Get the recipe: Sesame Ramen Salad With Chicken And Celery
Slowcooker Chicken Chili
Let the slowcooker do the hard work for you with this hearty, comforting chili. Then toss the leftovers into a Thermos with some accoutrements so your little one can garnish to his liking.
Get the recipe:
Slowcooker Chicken Chili
Broccoli Pesto
If you can’t pass off broccoli as tasty ‘trees’ or douse it in enough cheese sauce to make your kids like it, try roasting then blitzing it into an irresistible pesto. Roasting rids it of any cabbagey bitterness, making it sweeter and nuttier. This sauce goes well on everything from pasta to chicken, hot or cold. Make it ahead, open the jar and smugly win the dinnertime battle. Get the recipe:
Broccoli Pesto
Pita Grilled Cheese With Gouda And Honey
Fancy up sandwiches a bit with some nigella and sesame seeds and finished with a little honey for some of sweet-salty goodness. But if you wanted to scrap all that and just go for cheese in a pita? No one’s gonna be mad at a grilled cheese. Get the recipe:
Pita Grilled Cheese With Gouda And Honey
Sticky Korean Beef
15 minutes is all this classic Korean dish asks of you. Traditionally, this flavour bomb dish is made with really thinly sliced beef, but since that’s time consuming and a difficult technical skill to master, this version is simplified by using ground meat instead. If you have time to cook a pot of rice, it’s the ideal accompaniment. If not, spoon the beef into lettuce cups or even warmed tortillas. Or just eat it with a spoon—it’s that good. Get the recipe:
Sticky Korean Beef
Chicken Quesadillas
Some nights, you probably wish you didn’t have to stand over a stove, monitoring two skillets. Problem solved with these Chicken Quesadillas. It's like a grilled cheese sandwich, but with way more potential for great fillings. And even better potential for next-day lunchboxes. Get the recipe:
Chicken Quesadillas
Basic Frittata
A frittata is like a quiche but without the crust. It can be filled with just about anything and is a great way to use leftover cooked veggies, roasted potatoes, meat or even pasta. Bits of cheese can be grated and tossed into the mix or add cubed stale bread and have yourself a strata. Get the recipe:
Basic Frittata
Spaghetti With Instant Sausage Meatballs
Lifehack: Fresh sausages make instant, preseasoned meatballs with no mess; simply squeeze the meat out of its casing directly into the pan. Whether you rely on jarred sauce or homemade is up to you, but either way, you have a classic fave with hardly any work.
Get the recipe: Spaghetti With Instant Sausage Meatballs
Hoisin Lettuce Wraps
Ground meat or leftover chicken is at the heart of this speedy recipe. It can be served family-style so everyone can assemble their own wraps in a soft leaf of butter lettuce, topping them however they like. Get the recipe:
Hoisin Lettuce Wraps
Skillet Teriyaki
Here's a simple time-saver: This recipe proves that searing meat on just one side is perfectly acceptable. Skirt steak is ideal for a quick braise; it’s got plenty of fat for tenderness and flavour, and it melts away quickly over high heat because the meat is so thin. The sauce is sticky sweet and amazing over a bed of rice. Get the recipe:
Skillet Teriyaki
Sesame Ramen Salad With Chicken And Celery
Pita Grilled Cheese With Gouda And Honey
Spaghetti With Instant Sausage Meatballs