Easy
Hawaiian Chicken Pasta
Sweet-savory Hawaiian chicken pasta with pineapple and bell peppers — a family pasta dinner in 30 minutes.
30 min4 servings
DinnerPastaChicken
30 Kid-Approved Weeknight Dinners
School-night dinners that pass the kid taste test without cooking two separate meals.
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From the book
30-Minute Family Dinners
Own the print cookbook with 75 weeknight dinners, prep times, and bonus recipes online. Prefer digital? The free Spoon Simple app has the same clean recipes on your phone.
Easy
Chicken Tinga Tacos
Smoky chipotle chicken tinga tacos with onions — a 25-minute chicken dinner with bold Mexican flavor.
25 min4 servings
DinnerChicken30 Minutes
Medium
One-Pan Jambalaya
Smoky one-pan jambalaya with chicken, sausage, and rice — a hearty dinner with Louisiana flavor.
45 min6 servings
DinnerOne PanChicken
Easy
Orange Chicken Skillet
Crispy orange chicken in a sticky citrus glaze — a 30-minute chicken dinner without the drive-thru.
30 min4 servings
DinnerChickenOne Pan
Easy
Chicken Parmesan Skillet
Crispy chicken parmesan in one skillet with melted mozzarella — a 30-minute chicken dinner classic.
30 min4 servings
DinnerChickenOne Pan
Easy
Chicken Teriyaki Skillet
Sticky teriyaki chicken skillet with broccoli — a 25-minute chicken dinner better than takeout.
25 min4 servings
DinnerChickenOne Pan
Easy
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Creamy chicken bacon ranch pasta — a kid-friendly pasta dinner ready in 25 minutes.
25 min4 servings
DinnerPastaChicken
Easy
Meatball Pasta Dinner
Juicy beef meatballs simmered in marinara over spaghetti — classic easy pasta dinner comfort food.
40 min5 servings
DinnerPastaBeef
Easy
Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Creamy chicken alfredo pasta with tender chicken and fettuccine — an easy pasta dinner ready in 30 minutes.
30 min4 servings
DinnerPastaChicken
Easy
One-Pan Lemon Chicken and Orzo
Creamy lemon chicken and orzo cooked in one skillet — a cozy one-pan dinner with minimal dishes.
35 min4 servings
DinnerOne PanChicken
Easy
Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes
Smoky sausage roasted with potatoes and peppers on one pan — easy cleanup for busy weeknights.
40 min4 servings
DinnerOne PanSheet Pan
Easy
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
Crispy sheet pan chicken thighs with roasted baby potatoes — the one-pan dinner families request on repeat.
45 min4 servings
DinnerOne PanSheet Pan
Easy
Honey Mustard Chicken Skillet
Sweet-savory honey mustard chicken with green beans — a family-friendly skillet dinner in 30 minutes.
30 min4 servings
DinnerChickenOne Pan
Easy
Crispy Chicken Cutlets
Golden pan-fried chicken cutlets ready in 25 minutes — an easy chicken dinner kids love with pasta or salad.
25 min4 servings
DinnerChickenKid Friendly
Easy
Chicken Pesto Penne
Easy chicken pasta dinner with basil pesto and juicy chicken — ready in 25 minutes.
25 min4 servings
DinnerPastaChicken
Easy
One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Creamy one-pot pasta with garlic and Parmesan — minimal dishes, maximum comfort for pasta night.
25 min4 servings
DinnerPastaOne Pot
Easy
Penne alla Vodka
Creamy tomato-vodka sauce coats penne in 30 minutes — a restaurant favorite that is easy enough for weeknight pasta dinner.
30 min4 servings
DinnerPastaKid Friendly
Easy
Sausage Egg Breakfast Sandwich
Soft brioche buns loaded with sizzling sausage patties and fluffy scrambled eggs. Assemble open-faced on a sheet pan, bake until warm and toasty, then stack — the easiest way to make four sandwiches at once.
30 min4 servings
BreakfastKid FriendlyQuick
Easy
Cheeseburger Sliders
Juicy mini cheeseburgers on sweet Hawaiian rolls with a buttery garlic topping. One pan, twenty minutes, and gone before halftime.
30 min12 servings
Late NightPartyKid Friendly
Easy
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Golden, crispy mozzarella sticks with a stretchy cheese pull and marinara for dipping. Air fryer or oven — either way, they're dangerously addictive.
27 min4 servings
Late NightPartyAir Fryer
Easy
Fudge Brownies
Dense, fudgy brownies with a crackly top and intense chocolate flavor. One bowl, one pan, and dangerously hard to stop at just one square.
45 min16 servings
DessertBakingKid Friendly
Easy
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies with crisp edges and gooey centers. The forever recipe — brown the butter for extra depth or skip it for a classic bake.
27 min24 servings
DessertBakingKid Friendly
Easy
Classic Beef Nachos
Crispy tortilla chips loaded with seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, jalapeños, and all the classic toppings. The game-day nacho everyone reaches for first.
25 min6 servings
NachosLate NightParty
Medium
Tiramisu
Layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream dusted with cocoa. Italy's most beloved dessert — rich, airy, and deeply coffee-kissed.
30 min8 servings
Comfort FoodKid Friendly
Easy
Full English Breakfast
The mighty fry-up — eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, and toast. Britain's answer to brunch, and the only correct one.
40 min4 servings
BreakfastComfort FoodKid Friendly
Easy
Bangers and Mash
Plump pork sausages on a mound of buttery mashed potato, drowned in rich onion gravy. Honest British pub food at its finest.
40 min4 servings
DinnerComfort FoodBudget
Medium
Goi Cuon
Fresh spring rolls with shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli, and herbs wrapped in translucent rice paper. Light, healthy, and dipped in peanut-hoisin sauce.
40 min6 servings
HealthyKid FriendlyHigh Protein
Medium
Churros con Chocolate
Crispy fried dough sticks rolled in cinnamon sugar, served with thick Spanish hot chocolate for dipping. Spain's most beloved sweet indulgence.
35 min6 servings
DessertKid FriendlyComfort Food
Easy
Patatas Bravas
Crispy fried potatoes with smoky bravas sauce and garlicky aioli. The most famous tapa in Spain — bold, saucy, and irresistible.
40 min4 servings
AppetizerKid FriendlyComfort Food
Medium
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Grilled marinated chicken skewers with rich peanut dipping sauce. A Thai party favorite — smoky, sweet, and utterly crowd-pleasing.
40 min6 servings
Kid FriendlyHigh ProteinMeal Prep
Easy
Mango Sticky Rice
Sweet coconut sticky rice topped with ripe mango slices. Thailand's beloved dessert — creamy, fragrant, and impossibly good.
45 min4 servings
DessertKid FriendlyComfort Food
Medium
Churros
Crispy fried dough piped into ridged sticks, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and served with warm chocolate dipping sauce. Mexico's beloved street dessert — hot, crunchy, and utterly irresistible.
35 min8 servings
DessertKid FriendlyComfort Food
Easy
Mexican Rice
Fluffy long-grain rice toasted in oil with tomato, garlic, and chicken broth — the essential side dish for every Mexican meal. Golden, fragrant, and far more flavorful than plain white rice.
30 min6 servings
Quick30 MinutesBudget
Medium
Flautas
Rolled corn tortillas filled with seasoned shredded chicken, fried until shatteringly crisp, and served with guacamole, crema, and salsa. Golden tubes of crunchy perfection.
40 min6 servings
DinnerComfort FoodKid Friendly
Easy
Tostadas
Crispy fried corn tortillas piled high with seasoned shredded chicken, refried beans, lettuce, crema, and queso fresco. Crunchy, colorful, and endlessly customizable — a weeknight favorite.
35 min6 servings
DinnerQuick30 Minutes
Easy
Queso Fundido
Bubbling melted Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheese with sautéed chorizo, roasted poblano strips, and a splash of tequila. Scoop it up with warm flour tortillas — pure melted cheese bliss.
25 min6 servings
Quick30 MinutesComfort Food
Easy
Guacamole
Fresh, chunky guacamole made the traditional way — ripe avocados mashed with lime, cilantro, serrano chile, and diced tomato. Simple ingredients, perfect balance, no shortcuts.
10 min6 servings
Sauces SpreadsQuick30 Minutes
Easy
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Grilled corn on the cob slathered with creamy mayo, tangy cotija cheese, chili powder, and fresh lime. The irresistible street food of Mexico — messy, bright, and utterly addictive.
20 min6 servings
Kid FriendlyQuick30 Minutes
Easy
Yakisoba
Stir-fried wheat noodles tossed with pork, cabbage, and carrots in a tangy Worcestershire-based sauce. A Japanese festival staple — smoky, savory, and ready in minutes.
30 min4 servings
DinnerQuick30 Minutes
Easy
Karaage
Japanese fried chicken marinated in soy, ginger, and garlic, coated in potato starch for an impossibly crispy crust. Juicy inside, shatteringly crisp outside — irresistible izakaya fare.
35 min4 servings
DinnerHigh ProteinComfort Food
Easy
Onigiri
Hand-shaped rice balls wrapped in nori with savory fillings like salted salmon or umeboshi plum. The ultimate Japanese portable snack — simple, satisfying, and endlessly customizable.
35 min6 servings
LunchMeal PrepKid Friendly
Easy
Miso Soup
The essential Japanese soup — silky dashi broth enriched with miso paste, tofu, and wakame seaweed. Light, nourishing, and the perfect start to any Japanese meal.
15 min4 servings
Quick30 MinutesHealthy
Medium
Okonomiyaki
Savory Japanese cabbage pancakes loaded with pork belly, topped with okonomiyaki sauce, Kewpie mayo, bonito flakes, and aonori. Osaka street food you can make at home.
35 min4 servings
DinnerComfort FoodKid Friendly
Easy
Chicken Katsu
Crispy panko-breaded chicken cutlets fried until golden and shatteringly crunchy. Served with shredded cabbage, tonkatsu sauce, and steamed rice — the ultimate Japanese comfort food.
35 min4 servings
DinnerKid FriendlyHigh Protein
Medium
General Tso's Chicken
Crispy fried chicken glazed in a sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy sauce. An American-Chinese icon that's even better when made fresh at home.
40 min4 servings
DinnerHigh ProteinKid Friendly
Medium
Sweet and Sour Pork
Crispy battered pork tossed in a glossy sweet-tangy sauce with bell peppers and pineapple. A Cantonese restaurant favorite that's surprisingly easy to make at home.
45 min4 servings
DinnerHigh ProteinKid Friendly
Medium
Kaiserschmarrn
Shredded caramelized pancake dusted with powdered sugar and served with plum compote — the Emperor's dessert from the Austrian Alps, beloved across southern Germany.
30 min4 servings
Comfort FoodKid FriendlyQuick
Easy
Currywurst
Berlin's iconic street food — steamed then grilled bratwurst sliced and drenched in a spiced tomato-curry ketchup. Served with Pommes Frites and extra curry powder on top.
35 min4 servings
DinnerQuickComfort Food
Medium
Spätzle
Soft, irregularly shaped German egg noodles — the ultimate side dish for schnitzel, goulash, and roast meats. Homemade Spätzle beats anything from a package.
30 min6 servings
DinnerComfort FoodBudget
Easy
Spicy Tteokbokki
Chewy rice cakes bathed in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce with fish cakes and boiled eggs. Korea's most beloved street food snack — addictive and fun to eat.
30 min4 servings
Comfort FoodBudgetKid Friendly
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Frequently Asked Questions
What dinners do picky eaters like?
Deconstructed meals work best — tacos, pasta bars, and rice bowls let kids choose what goes on their plate.
How do I shop the ingredients for these recipes?
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