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
30 Kid-Approved Weeknight Dinners
School-night dinners that pass the kid taste test without cooking two separate meals.
50 recipesBrowse Family Dinner Recipes →
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
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
Easy
Japanese Curry Udon
Thick, mildly spiced Japanese curry sauce over chewy udon noodles. Warming, hearty, and ready in 25 minutes.
25 min4 servings
dinnerquick30-minutes
Easy
Shrimp Fried Rice
Wok-hei charred rice with plump shrimp, peas, carrots, egg, and scallions. Better than takeout and on the table in 15 minutes.
20 min4 servings
dinnerquick30-minutes
Easy
Halo-Halo
The ultimate Filipino dessert — shaved ice layered with sweet beans, jellies, fruit, leche flan, ube halaya, and topped with evaporated milk. Mix it all together and enjoy.
20 min4 servings
kid-friendlycomfort-foodquick
Easy
Pancit Canton
Stir-fried egg noodles with shrimp, pork, and crisp vegetables in a savory soy-oyster sauce. A birthday staple that symbolizes long life and good fortune.
30 min6 servings
dinnerquick30-minutes
Easy
Misua with Patola and Ground Pork
A light, comforting Filipino noodle soup with delicate misua wheat noodles, tender patola (sponge gourd), and savory ground pork in a clear ginger-garlic broth. Ready in 30 minutes and perfect with steamed rice on the side.
30 min4 servings
dinnerquickbudget
Easy
Sweat Spam
Spam slices tossed in sugar and fried until caramelized and crispy, served over hot steamed rice. A sweet-salty breakfast that hits every time.
15 min3 servings
breakfastquickbudget
Medium
Easy Chicken Pad Thai
Sweet, tangy, and savory chicken pad thai with rice noodles, crunchy bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts. Better than takeout and on the table in 30 minutes.
30 min4 servings
dinnerquickhigh-protein
Easy
Easy Home Bibimbap Bowls
A weeknight-friendly bibimbap with seasoned ground beef, quick sautéed vegetables, warm rice, and a sunny fried egg on top. Mix it all together with spicy gochujang sauce — no special equipment required.
35 min4 servings
dinnerkid-friendlyquick
Easy
Homemade Pizza with Trader Joe's Pizza Dough
Crispy, bubbly homemade pizza in under 30 minutes — no kneading required. Trader Joe's refrigerated pizza dough stretches beautifully, and a ripping-hot oven gives you that pizzeria char at home.
27 min2 servings
dinnertrader-joesquick
Easy
Dutch Baby Pancake
A dramatic puffed oven pancake with crisp, golden edges and a tender center. Bake in a hot cast iron skillet and serve immediately with powdered sugar, lemon, and berries.
25 min4 servings
breakfastkid-friendlyquick
Easy
Waffle House Waffles
A copycat of the iconic Waffle House waffle — crisp on the outside, tender inside, with that signature buttery flavor. Chill the batter overnight for the best results, or cook right away. Add ¼ cup chopped pecans for pecan waffles.
25 min6 servings
breakfastcopycatkid-friendly
Easy
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
The best homemade chicken noodle soup — rich broth, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked egg noodles. Ready in 45 minutes and better than any can.
45 min6 servings
dinnerkid-friendlycomfort-food
Easy
Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Sweet and savory teriyaki chicken over steamed rice with crispy vegetables. A takeout favorite made at home.
30 min4 servings
dinnerkid-friendly30-minutes
Medium
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Creamy, comforting Alfredo with tender chicken and broccoli. A family favorite that comes together in 30 minutes.
30 min4 servings
dinnerkid-friendly30-minutes
Easy
Easy Spaghetti Night
Classic family spaghetti with a rich meat sauce. Done in 30 minutes with pantry staples.
30 min6 servings
dinnerkid-friendlybudget
Easy
20-Minute Chicken Tacos
Juicy seasoned chicken tacos the whole family will love. Fast, fresh, and endlessly customizable.
20 min4 servings
dinnerkid-friendly30-minutes
Easy
Best Fluffy Pancakes
Light, fluffy pancakes with a golden exterior. Ready in 20 minutes.
20 min4 servings
breakfastkid-friendlyquick
Photo coming soon
Medium
Hot Chocolate Bombs
Chocolate spheres filled with cocoa and marshmallows that melt into rich hot chocolate — the viral holiday treat that still blows up every winter on Instagram.
30 min6 servings
dessertinstagram-viralholiday
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.