24 Best Lazy Dinner Ideas for When You're Too Tired to Cook
Skip the takeout and empty your fridge instead.
How often does this happen? You get home after a long day and you're simply exhausted. The thought of putting in effort to get dinner on the table seems impossible, but you still have to eat! Before you give in and order pizza again, there are plenty easy dinner ideas you can try right here! Almost all of these are 30-minute meals or faster, meaning it'll take you less time to feed your family than it will for the delivery driver to bring your order. (In fact, plenty of these recipes taste just like takeout, too!)
Yes, some of these recipes require chopping and prep, but there are some where you just have to open a few jars and cans. (Ree Drummond's 7-can soup is exactly what it sounds like!) There are sheet pan dinners and one-pot meals that cut down on dishes, so clean up is as easy as dinner. Seriously, you're 15 minutes away from a dumpling soup that tastes incredible and the pot will take maybe 30 seconds to clean when you're done slurping.
And don't be afraid to whip out your favorite small appliances. Of course, air fryer recipes prove the gadget isn't just for frozen fries and Instant Pots are miracle workers for cutting down cook time. You can even predict your laziness in the morning and whip out a slow cooker recipe that'll be done by dinner. Whatever you decide, know that you'll have two dozen more ideas where that came from the next time you're feeling lazy... you know, like tomorrow. 😂
Shrimp Fried Rice
If that leftover rice in the fridge looks a little sad, fry it up with some flavorful add-ins and easy-to-cook shrimp and you've got yourself delicious stir-fry in just about 30 minutes.
Get Ree's Shrimp Fried Rice recipe.
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Chicken enchiladas are amazing and so comforting, but they can require a lot of assembly―unless you toss everything together in a skillet instead! Use canned enchilada sauce and rotisserie chicken to speed things up.
Get Ree's Chicken Enchilada Skillet recipe.
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Toss together ground pork, ginger, garlic, pre-packaged slaw mix, and a highly flavorful sauce to get everything you love about an egg roll without ordering takeout. It's ready in just 15 minutes!
Get Ree's Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe.
Cacio e Pepe Ravioli
All it takes to dress up store-bought ravioli is five simple ingredients: heavy cream, pecorino romano, butter, salt, and pepper. You’ll have dinner on the table in just 20 minutes.
Get Ree's Cacio e Pepe Ravioli recipe.
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Did you know you don’t need to soak dried lentils before cooking them? You’ll only spend about ten minutes prepping before your pressure cooker takes over the rest. You'll have lunch ready for tomorrow, too!
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
If you throw everything from the veggies to refrigerated store-bought gnocchi to cheese on a sheet pan, not only does it come together in a flash, but it saves time on washing dishes.
Get the Sheet Pan Gnocchi recipe.
Garlic Shrimp
Shrimp is one of the best proteins to cook if you're short on time or patience (or both). You can have this slightly spicy, super garlicky meal in your belly in just 15 minutes.
Get the Garlic Shrimp recipe.
Lemon Pasta
Get the flavors of the Amalfi Coast in Italy with just a few simple ingredients. You'll have a flavorful dinner bursting with lemony freshness on the table in just 25 minutes.
Get the Lemon Pasta recipe.
7-Can Soup
Pop open cans of chili, three types of beans, diced tomatoes, Rotel, and corn and throw them in a pot. Then mix in some Velveeta and season with salt and pepper. It's that easy!
Get Ree's 7-Can Soup recipe.
Air Fryer Salmon
In just ten minutes, you can have dinner on the table! Skip the frozen fries and make salmon in your air fryer instead. All you need is a fresh side salad and fluffy rice and dinner is served.
Get the Air Fryer Salmon recipe.
Dumpling Soup
Frozen dumplings for the win! You don't even have to defrost them when making this slurpable soup because the broth you make will heat them up in just a few minutes.
Get the Dumpling Soup recipe.
Shrimp and Veggie Quesadillas
Ree says that quesadillas are some of her "true go-to recipes" when feeding her family. Not only are they easy to make, you can pretty much add anything to them that you have in your fridge.
Get Ree's Shrimp and Veggie Quesadillas recipe.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
If you can predict your future laziness, whip out that slow cooker and spend ten minutes in the morning prepping this flavorful protein. You'll have endless pulled pork recipes to use with the leftovers, too.
Get the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Eating a low-carb meal can be just as satisfying now that cauliflower is a popular rice substitute. Want to make this even easier? Just heat up a frozen bag of cauliflower rice and toss it in!
Get Ree's Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe.
Taco Soup
Grab a few cans of beans, tomatoes, and corn from the pantry along with a taco seasoning packet for this easy-as-can-be soup. Customize the toppings just like you would for taco night.
Get Ree's Taco Soup recipe.
Rigatoni with Creamy Corn
You can absolutely shuck corn when it's in season and you have time. But you could also skip that entirely and heat up frozen or canned corn instead. Fresh herbs will liven it up!
Get Ree's Rigatoni with Creamy Corn recipe.
Peanut Noodles
Make savory-sweet noodles in a flash! This easy recipe includes a no-cook sauce make with pantry staples that gets tossed with hot noodles to warm it up.
Get the Peanut Noodles recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Comfort food just got way faster thanks to your air fryer. You can totally use jarred marinara sauce and serve in just 30 minutes with a side of pasta, salad, or garlic bread.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe.
Creamy One-Pot Sausage Gnocchi
Who knew you turn store-bought refrigerated gnocchi into a creamy, slightly spicy meal using just one pot? The toasted breadcrumbs on top feel so special and yet it only takes about 35 minutes to make in total.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
While you can totally whip out a box of mac and cheese, did you know you can also make it from scratch in a half hour? True story! This creamy goodness would pair perfectly with practically any protein.
Get Ree's Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe.
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