16 Easy School Night Dinners Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
They’re even faster than takeout.
Getting back into the swing of things after a long, lazy summer can be tough! The back-to-school season is full of new schedules, jam-packed with activities, and you still have to find time to make dinner. Rather than ordering takeout, keep these easy school night dinners in mind, which take 30 minutes or less from start to finish. There are even a few that take as little as 15 minutes, believe it or not!
When you’re just not feeling it, lazy dinner ideas will be your best friends. Remember, lazy doesn’t mean boring! You just need to make the best use of shortcut ingredients. Grab a jar of marinara sauce and make chicken parm in the air fryer. Or throw together a stir-fry with frozen veggies and leftover rice to clean out the fridge and get the kids fed at the same time.
These recipes aren’t just back-to-school season dinners, either. It’s not like your schedules are going to get easier as you approach the holiday season, right? So keep these on hand whenever you’re feeling a little pressed for time. These 30-minute school night dinners are family-friendly, filling, flavorful, and best of all, fast to make from start to finish. So put down that takeout app, and pull out this list instead. Dinner will be ready in no time!
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
That’s right: You can make chicken parm in just 30 minutes thanks to your air fryer. The cutlets get nice and crispy without having to fry them on the stove. Make life easier and use jarred marinara sauce.
Get the Air-Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe.
Pork Fried Rice
Put that leftover rice and that package of frozen veggies to good use and make fried rice. All you need are a few condiments to zhuzh it up. If you don’t have pork, try chicken or shrimp.
Get Ree's Pork Fried Rice recipe.
Pizza Bagels
It’s so much faster to make pizza bagels than ordering a pie from a shop. Just 15 minutes! And since they're individual servings, you can customize the toppings so no one will fight over how they want theirs prepared.
Get the Pizza Bagels recipe.
Chili Mac and Cheese
This is the ultimate 30-minute meal. You can serve both chili and mac and cheese at the same time in one dish. And there’s not a box or can in sight! It’s all from scratch.
Get Ree's Chili Mac and Cheese recipe.
Taco Pie
Taco Tuesday is calling! This hearty dinner is packed with seasoned beef, cheesy layers, and all your favorite taco flavors. The pie “crust” is refrigerated crescent roll dough, so it’s easy to throw together in just 30 minutes.
Get Ree's Taco Pie recipe.
Turkey Burgers
Any kind of burger is a no-brainer! There are endless ways to make them (beef, pork, chicken, turkey) and they’ll be done in just about 15 minutes. Make an easy veggie side and dinner is served.
Get the Turkey Burgers recipe.
Blackened Salmon with Edamame Succotash
Good news: You can use either fresh end-of-summer produce or grab frozen veggies to make this flavorful succotash with blackened salmon. You can also make your own seasoning or just grab a jar of the pre-made stuff.
Sloppy Joes
These crowd-pleasing classics come together with kitchen staples such as ground beef, onions, and bell peppers that get cooked in a rich, tangy sauce made from scratch. Layer them thick in soft buns and serve.
Get Ree's Sloppy Joes recipe.
Dumpling Soup
Five minutes of prep and 15 minutes in total is all you need to make this Asian-inspired soup. Frozen store-bought dumplings make it incredibly easy to get dinner on the table and in bellies faster.
Get the Dumpling Soup recipe.
Chicken Carbonara
Smoky, salty bacon, lots of parmesan, and tender (frozen!) peas make this pasta come together in no time. Adding chicken makes it even heartier for an easy weeknight dinner. You can use rotisserie if you’re really in a rush.
Get Ree’s Chicken Carbonara recipe.
Smothered Pork Chops
Yes, you can make tender pork chops and a rich, creamy gravy in just 30 minutes. It’s super comforting and very family friendly. If you need a carb to soak up the sauce, boil up some rice as they sauté.
Get Ree's Smothered Pork Chops recipe.
Cacio e Pepe Ravioli
Life just got better thanks to store-bought, refrigerated ravioli. While the water boils, you make a quick sauce made with peppercorns, salted butter, heavy cream, and freshly grated pecorino. The whole thing will be ready in just 20 minutes.
Get Ree's Cacio e Pepe Ravioli recipe.
Pepper Steak
You don’t need a wok to make this takeout favorite. Any skillet you’ve got will heat up hot enough to sear steak and fresh peppers. The sauce is easier than you think to make from scratch.
Get the Pepper Steak recipe.
Marry Me Chicken
If you’ve never had this viral recipe, get ready to fall in love. It is chicken in a creamy, sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce. It’s easy enough to make on a weeknight but it feels extra special.
Get Ree's Marry Me Chicken recipe.
Shrimp Alfredo
Speaking of special, the kids will think they’re being spoiled with this comforting, creamy pasta dish. They’ll have no clue that it only takes you 30 minutes to make. Add some broccoli if you want a veggie.
Get Ree’s Shrimp Alfredo recipe.
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Turn refrigerated tortellini and rotisserie chicken into a weeknight miracle meal. You’ll have your carbs, veggies, and protein all in one bowl with just 15 minutes of prep.
Get the Chicken Tortellini Soup recipe.
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