EASY 30-Minute Meals

Jamielyn Nye
Updated July 16, 2021

4 comments

It may sound impossible, but I promise you, you really CAN make easy 30-minute meals! Not only are they incredibly simple, but they are also delicious recipes you will reach for again and again.

Weeknights get super busy and hectic, so I’m always looking for quick dinners to have in my back pocket. With this list of easy 30-minute meals, you’ll find fast and delicious main dish recipes that your family will love.

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Favorite Family Dinners
Meals with Chicken
Meals with Beef
Vegetarian
Low Carb
Healthy

Favorite Family Dinners

Dinner time is generally my favorite time of the day. I love getting to sit around the table and catch up with my family for an hour or so. What I don’t love as much is all the prep work that can go into making a meal. I don’t mind taking extra time every once in a while, but why spend an hour or more cooking when you can make quick 30-minute meals instead?

Thankfully, it’s super easy to find 30-minute meals that taste incredible. Whether it’s chicken or beef recipes, vegetarian favorites or healthy and low carb dishes…you’ll find it all here. These are easy dinner ideas that my family ask for again and again, and I’m happy to oblige! Here is a list of my favorite 30-minute meals that your family will love too.

Meals with Chicken

Chicken is a staple ingredient, but there are times when it can be a bit of a challenge to cook. If you want flavorful chicken, that often means it needs to be cooked longer than you might like.

I’m happy to say that these 30-minute meals with chicken have all the flavor with virtually none of the stress and time. You can even save more time by making one of these into a leftover rotisserie chicken recipe! Try them out and see—you may be surprised at how excellent these dinners are!

Chicken Stir Fry

This chicken stir fry is an easy 30-minute meal that's perfect for busy weeknights. It's loaded with fresh veggies and coated in a delicious stir-fry sauce. Serve over rice or noodles for the ultimate take-out style dish!

Total Time: 30

Baked BBQ Chicken

Juicy and tender baked chicken breast coated in a sweet and tangy BBQ glaze is an easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love. This is a no fuss baked BBQ chicken recipe made with only 2 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep!

Total Time: 35

crispy chicken tenders with parsley on top

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

These baked chicken tenders are perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. A family-favorite recipe that's simple, delicious and ready in just 30 minutes!

Total Time: 45

Mexican Chicken Casserole

This Mexican chicken casserole is an easy weeknight meal that's made in one dish in just 30 minutes! Creamy, cheesy and baked to perfection.

Total Time: 30

Chicken Marsala

This chicken marsala recipe is restaurant quality and makes the perfect dish to impress your guests. It's loaded with flavor and made in one pan in just 30 minutes!

Total Time: 30

Chicken Pasta Caprese

Onepot chicken pasta caprese is the easiest, most incredible pasta dish ever. It takes less than 20 minutes to make this dish and since it's only one-pot, clean up will be a snap too!

Total Time: 18

Pizza Chicken Roll Ups

These pizza chicken roll ups are stuffed with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and marinara sauce. A dish the whole family will love!

Total Time: 30

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Buffalo chicken wraps are a quick and easy way to have a healthy flavorful lunch on the go. A tortilla filled to the brim with saucy buffalo chicken, and fresh veggies, drizzled with a homemade ranch dressing!

Total Time: 10

Chicken Taquitos

These baked chicken taquitos are crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and full of fabulous flavor. An easy and delicious dinner recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights!

Total Time: 30

Chicken and Rice Soup

This easy chicken and rice soup is a comforting and delicious one-pot meal loaded with tender vegetables, chicken and a flavorful broth that the whole family will love! Makes the perfect soup recipe for chilly weather!

Total Time: 30

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Tender fettuccine noodles covered in a creamy homemade alfredo sauce and then topped with seasoned chicken. This chicken fettuccine alfredo is easily made in under 30 minutes and is loaded with Italian flavor!

Total Time: 25

Chicken Taco Soup

Easy chicken taco soup made in just one pot in 30 quick minutes. Our favorite hearty and flavorful soup recipe to enjoy during the fall season.

Total Time: 30

BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe

This BBQ chicken pizza is topped with BBQ sauce, shredded chicken, mozzarella, red onion and cilantro. It has tons of flavor and is ready in just 30 minutes!

Total Time: 30

Bruschetta Chicken

Juicy and tender seared chicken topped with a flavorful homemade bruschetta made with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This bruschetta chicken is an easy and delicious dinner recipe that has the perfect combination of flavors.

Total Time: 25

Grilled BBQ Chicken Foil Packets

This grilled BBQ chicken foil dinner takes 5 simple ingredients and only 30 minutes to make! An EASY and delicious dinner with no clean up.

Total Time: 30

greek chicken burger with lettuce, tomato and onion

Greek Chicken Burger Recipe

A delicious Greek chicken burger stuffed with feta cheese, red pepper, parsley, garlic, red onion and seasonings. This burger is light on calories without sacrificing flavor!

Total Time: 20

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

These sheet pan chicken fajitas are made with only 5 ingredients in just 30 minutes. A quick and easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love!

Total Time: 30

Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowl Recipe

Easy instant pot chicken taco bowls that take just 5 minutes of prep. A family favorite meal idea that's perfect for busy weeknights. Just simply dump and go!

Total Time: 30

chicken and dumplings in a white bowl with spoon

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

These Instant Pot chicken and dumplings take less than 10 ingredients and are ready in 30 minutes. The perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will love!

Total Time: 25

orange chicken with green onions in white bowl

Instant Pot Orange Chicken

Sweet and tender instant pot orange chicken covered in a juicy sauce. Made with less than 10 ingredients and done in 30 minutes!

Total Time: 30

chicken and vegetables cooked on sheet pan

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

This sheet pan chicken and veggies is just one of my favorite sheet pan healthy dinner ideas that come together so quickly and effortlessly. Charred roasted veggies, tender pieces of chicken, seasoned with delicate herbs and spices!

Total Time: 35

Pesto Chicken

This pesto chicken is made with just 2 ingredients! Juicy grilled chicken breast and a beautiful, flavorful, creamy pesto sauce. Enjoy this family-friendly, low-carb, gluten-free dinner in under 20 minutes!

Total Time: 17

Stuffed French Bread

Stuffed French bread is a loaded bread appetizer or dinner that's so full of cheesy goodness. It's an easier version of my stuffed cheesy garlic bread but with a buffalo chicken twist!

Total Time: 35

Chicken Pad Thai

This easy chicken pad Thai is an incredibly flavorful (and totally adaptable) stir fry made with juicy pieces of chicken, peanuts, eggs, veggies all smothered in a delicious sweet and salty sauce!

Total Time: 30

Meals with Beef

Whenever ground beef goes on sale, double (or triple!) up and stick a few in the freezer so that you can easily make these 30-minute meals with ground beef. There’s a wide variety of meals that can be made with ground beef, and most of these will even work as a freezer meal.

Wooden spoon getting some burrito bowl out of pot.

Burrito Bowl Recipe

Easy and delicious Mexican burrito bowls made in just one pot in 30 minutes…making clean up a breeze. Perfect for busy week nights!

Total Time: 35

Sloppy Joe Recipe

A nostalgic, economical and easy recipe that feeds the whole family. These easy sloppy joe recipe is hearty, savory and have the best flavor!

Total Time: 30

A close up of spaghetti in the instant pot

Instant Pot Spaghetti

Instant pot spaghetti is perfect for those busy nights where you need dinner to come together quickly. It's cooked in just one pot in 30 minutes, making the clean up a breeze!

Total Time: 30

Ground Beef Tacos

Crispy and delicious tacos filled with homemade taco meat and all your favorite toppings. These easy ground beef tacos are a simple family meal loaded with flavor and ready in just 20 minutes!

Total Time: 20

Easy Spaghetti Recipe

This easy spaghetti recipe with meat sauce is a family favorite! It adds a little flavor to the good ol' classic and is always a hit with the kids!

Total Time: 30

Best Hamburger Recipe

The BEST hamburger recipe that's super simple and tastes absolutely delicious! This grilling classic is perfect for summer cookouts or get-togethers and makes the most juicy homemade hamburger patty that's filled with tons of flavor.

Total Time: 18

Taco Casserole

This taco casserole has delicious layers of ground beef, beans, corn, tortilla chips and cheese. Baked to perfection and ready in just 15 minutes.

Total Time: 15

Stuffed Pepper Soup

This easy stuffed pepper soup is made in just one pot in 30 minutes. Filled with ground beef, bell peppers, rice and a flavorful tomato broth, it's the perfect comfort soup to warm up with.

Total Time: 30

Goulash in a white pot with wooden spoon.

Easy Goulash Recipe

This easy homemade goulash is made in one pot (including the noodles) in just 30 minutes. It's a classic, family-favorite dish packed with tons of flavor!

Total Time: 30

Taco Soup Recipe

This easy taco soup recipe is hearty with the best Mexican-inspired taco flavors! Simple to prep in one pot in only 10 minutes.

Total Time: 30

French Dip Sandwich Recipe

A delicious french dip sandwich made with a toasty baguette, flavorful roast beef and melted Swiss cheese. So easy to make and done in 10 minutes!

Total Time: 10

Beef Ramen

Make your own take out at home with this easy veggie beef ramen recipe! This dish is filled with tender steak, crisp vegetables and the perfect sauce.

Total Time: 25

Meatloaf Muffins

Juicy and tender mini meatloaf muffins coated in a sweet and tangy sauce. An easy, kid-friendly dinner idea that's on the table in just 35 minutes!

Total Time: 35

Hamburger Soup

Easy hamburger soup made in just one pot in 30 quick minutes! It's loaded with lean ground beef, mixed vegetables, tomatoes and seasonings and is budget-friendly, hearty and satisfying.

Total Time: 30

Steak and Potatoes

From stove to table in less than 30 minutes, this skillet steak and potatoes is a delicious weeknight dinner recipe! Juicy bites of pan-seared steak and perfectly seasoned crispy potatoes are where signature garlic butter flavors meet convenience!

Total Time: 25

Cooking steak in the oven in a white skillet.

How to Cook Steak in the Oven

Learn how to cook steak in the oven in just 20 minutes! Use these simple tips and tricks to create the perfect steak that’s caramelized, juicy and tender. You’ll never cook steak any other way!

Total Time: 20

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Juicy, tender meatballs simmered with marinara and then tossed with spaghetti noodles. These homemade spaghetti and meatballs taste like they came straight from an Italian restaurant!

Total Time: 35

Walking Taco Recipe

Walking tacos are a simple and delicious dinner idea with hardly any clean up. Your favorite taco meat and toppings served in a bag of Fritos or Doritos. These tacos are perfect for parties and potlucks!

Total Time: 15

hamburger on white plate with french fries

Baked Hamburger Recipe

These baked hamburgers only take 3 simple ingredients with easy clean up. They're so easy to make, hearty and flavorful. Perfect for those days that you don't feel like firing up the grill.

Total Time: 20

navajo taco with hamburger and sour cream

Navajo Taco Recipe

Easy and delicious Navajo tacos made with crispy fry bread and loaded with your favorite taco toppings. A tasty dinner that the whole family will love!

Total Time: 30

One Pot Enchilada Pasta Recipe

This ONE POT cheesy enchilada pasta recipe is so simple and completely delicious. It's done in 30 minutes from start to finish and is a family favorite!

Total Time: 30

Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

This one-pot cheeseburger soup is the perfect weeknight meal that's ready in just 30 minutes! It's hearty, creamy and super filling. Your family will love it!

Total Time: 30

chili in a white bowl with tortilla chips and cheese

Easy Chili Recipe

This 3-ingredient chili recipe is made in 30 minutes or less! Thick, hearty and filled with flavor. This is the perfect easy soup recipe for fall!

Total Time: 35

Teriyaki Burger

This teriyaki burger recipe is a must-try! Juicy burger flavored with a sweet teriyaki sauce and served with grilled pineapple and onions on a crispy brioche bun!

Total Time: 20

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Enjoy the classic flavors you love with this easy homemade Hamburger Helper. It’s full of ground beef and macaroni all simmered in a creamy cheddar sauce. A quick meal for weeknight dinners, this is one both the kids and adults will adore!

Total Time: 30

Vegetarian

Any of these vegetarian recipes are perfect to serve as your main dish for Meatless Monday. In place of meat, these meals are filled with hearty vegetables like potatoes, rice, legumes or pasta. They are super flavorful and filling, so you won’t even miss the meat!

Sweet Potato Bowls

These one pot sweet potato bowls are an easy vegetarian meal option that's ready in just 30 minutes! Loaded with diced sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, rice and seasonings, this delicious dinner packs a punch of flavor.

Total Time: 30

Mexican salad in white bowl on marble countertop.

Mexican Salad Recipe

A fresh and flavorful Mexican salad recipe surrounded by fresh vegetables, tortilla strips and topped with a homemade dressing. Easy to make and even more delicious to eat!

Total Time: 20

Minestrone Soup

A hearty and flavorful minestrone soup packed full of fresh veggies. This healthy soup recipe is easily made in one pot in just 30 minutes!

Total Time: 30

Fried Rice Recipe

Easy restaurant style fried rice that you can make at home in 20 minutes! The perfect way to use up leftover rice sitting in the fridge.

Total Time: 20

strawberry burrata salad on a white plate

Strawberry Burrata Salad Recipe

Strawberry, pistachio, and burrata salad with a poppyseed dressing…super fresh, flavorful and satisfying! This strawberry salad has the most perfect combination of flavors and will become your new favorite!

Total Time: 10

spinach salad with fresh berries and sliced almonds

Spinach Berry Salad Recipe

A refreshing salad made with spinach, mixed berries, almonds and a red wine poppyseed vinaigrette. Delicious, healthy and easy to make!

Total Time: 10

Alfredo Sauce with Cream Cheese

This alfredo sauce with cream cheese is smooth, creamy and has the perfect texture and flavor! Simple to whip up and always a family favorite.

Total Time: 15

Tomato Tortellini Soup

Creamy tomato tortellini soup topped with fresh parmesan and basil. An easy 30-minute meal that the whole family will love!

Total Time: 30

Asian Stuffed Mushrooms

Asian stuffed mushrooms are the perfect side dish or appetizer. This recipe is filled with flavor thanks to a simple creamy stuffing and a 2-ingredient drizzle sauce.

Total Time: 35

Caprese Pasta Bake

A delicious caprese pasta bake covered in creamy tomato sauce and bubbly mozzarella. This easy 30-minute meal is the perfect way to use up fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden!

Total Time: 30

Pesto Pizza

Spinach pesto pizza with fresh mozzarella – Only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes to make! Flavorful, delicious and full of melted cheese!

Total Time: 10

Southwest Pasta Salad

Tender penne pasta, black beans, corn, peppers, cilantro, onions and tomatoes tossed in a delicious and creamy avocado lime dressing. This southwest pasta salad is easy, healthy and full of Mexican flavors!

Total Time: 30

Grilled Caprese Sandwich

Grilled caprese sandwich stuffed with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil pesto! Takes 10 minutes or less and requires just 5 simple ingredients!

Total Time: 10

Chopped Salad

This fresh chopped salad is made with 5 key ingredients in less than 10 minutes! Customize with all your favorite mix-in's and dig in!

Total Time: 10

Asparagus Pasta Recipe

Light and flavorful asparagus pasta that's loaded with fresh ingredients and a delicious cheese sauce. This is the perfect pasta dish for summer!

Total Time: 30

Spinach Strawberry Salad

A light and refreshing strawberry spinach salad filled with fresh strawberries, almonds, feta and greens. Top with poppy seed dressing to make the perfect summer salad recipe!

Total Time: 10

Sheet Pan Gnocchi

This sheet pan gnocchi is perfect for a last minute dinner or side dish. The gnocchi becomes crispy and the vegetables are roasted to perfection.

Total Time: 30

Low Carb

So many dinners can be very carb-heavy. We definitely love our carbs, but sometimes we need a bite to eat that feels lighter. These low carb 30-minute meals are just the thing to make after a heavy lunch or a day full of snacking.

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Crispy, bibb lettuce topped with shredded buffalo chicken, tomatoes, avocado, red onion and a drizzle of ranch dressing. These easy buffalo chicken lettuce wraps are packed with flavor in every bite!

Total Time: 30

Pf Chang’s Lettuce Wraps Recipe

These copycat PF Chang's lettuce wraps taste just like the real deal! Make this easy takeout recipe in just 20 minutes in the comfort of your own home.

Total Time: 20

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These easy cashew chicken lettuce wraps are made in one pot in just 20 minutes! A better-than-takeout recipe that the whole family will love.

Total Time: 20

chicken club lettuce wraps with ranch drizzled on top

Chicken Club Lettuce Wrap Recipe

Chicken Club Lettuce Wraps… a quick and easy lunch idea made with only a few ingredients!

Total Time: 10

Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Chicken stuffed peppers made with 5 simple ingredients in just 30 minutes! A flavorful family-favorite that's perfect for busy weeknights!

Total Time: 30

lettuce cup with taco meat and pico de gallo

Taco Lettuce Wraps

Taco lettuce wraps are a healthy, flavorful and delicious alternative to hard shell tacos. Plus they're paleo, Whole30 and gluten-free!

Total Time: 15

Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe

This easy egg roll in a bowl is made in just one pot in 20 quick minutes. A healthy, low carb dinner idea that's loaded with flavor.

Total Time: 20

Chicken Fajita Salad

EASY fajita salad recipe that's ready in just 20 minutes or less. Packed with flavorful seasoned chicken, fajita veggies, diced tomatoes, avocado and fresh green salsa.

Total Time: 20

sliced pork tenderloin on a plate with green beans

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Only 5 simple ingredients and done in less than 30 minutes. Tender and juicy on the inside, with a flavorful seared outside.

Total Time: 27

Taco Salad Recipe

How to make a delicious and easy taco salad recipe that is ready in just 20 minutes! Filled with chopped greens, seasoned ground beef, rice, corn, beans, tomatoes and your favorite salad dressing, it's a flavorful dinner that whole family will love.

Total Time: 20

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken

Easy instant pot buffalo chicken made in 30 quick minutes! Perfectly tender, juicy and packs a punch of tangy buffalo flavor. Use it to make salads, wraps, pizza, tacos and more.

Total Time: 30

Healthy

Healthy fast food may seem like an oxymoron, but this list proves it’s possible. These healthy dinner recipes are packed with fiber and good-for-you fats, along with plenty of vegetables. A lot of these are Whole-30 friendly or easily modified to be.

An easy way to meal prep and have healthy lunches for the week is to double these dinners and pack up enough leftovers for the kids to take to school for the week.

roasted sausage and veggies on a wooden spoon

Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

This sheet pan sausage and vegetables is made in just 30 minutes with hardly any cleanup! It's healthy, loaded with flavor and is Whole 30 approved.

Total Time: 30

Turkey Meatball Recipe

Easy, healthy and full of flavor. Low in carbs and fat and high in protein. This turkey meatball recipe makes the perfect weeknight dinner!

Total Time: 35

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This chicken tortilla soup recipe is made in ONE pot in 30 minutes. Always a crowd pleaser and tastes great loaded with cheese, avocado and tortilla chips.

Total Time: 30

Buffalo Chicken Salad

This buffalo chicken salad is a low-carb version of the traditional saucy sandwich! Loaded with crisp lettuce, crunchy coleslaw, fresh veggies, and your choice of a creamy homemade blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Total Time: 10

Steak Salad Recipe

A fresh and delicious salad made with lettuce, grilled corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, avocado and tender sliced steak. Then topped with a sweet and tangy balsamic dressing.

Total Time: 20

Cobb Salad Recipe

A delicious cobb salad that's fresh, flavorful and full of your favorite toppings! Makes the perfect lunch or dinner any day of the week. This recipe is a staple at our house.

Total Time: 20

Mediterranean Salad Recipe

This Mediterranean salad with creamy balsamic dressing is full of greens, protein and flavor! Comes together super quickly and tastes so fresh and delicious. Plus it's healthier than most restaurants, too!

Total Time: 5

Asian Chicken Salad

This Asian chicken salad is everything you want in a salad recipe…fresh, light, crunchy and delicious. It's super flavorful and is loaded with all your favorite toppings!

Total Time: 20

Baked Lemon Chicken

Tender baked lemon chicken coated in a flavorful lemon butter sauce. An easy 30-minute meal that requires only 7 simple ingredients!

Total Time: 30

Turkey Burgers

The absolute BEST turkey burgers that are moist, juicy and loaded with flavor. Only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to prepare!

Total Time: 20

Chicken Taco Salad

Shredded chicken taco salad loaded with lettuce, black beans, grilled corn, avocado, tomatoes and bell peppers. Topped with a creamy salsa ranch dressing. Simple, flavorful and delicious!

Total Time: 20

Italian Salad

Quick and easy Italian salad loaded with tons of fresh and flavorful ingredients. It makes the perfect lunch, dinner or side salad recipe.

Total Time: 10

Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, Dinner, Recipe Roundup

Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.

More about Jamielyn Nye

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4 comments

- mary
- August 31, 2019
I would like to subscribe to your offer but the link doesn’t work. Please add me to you list for:
Subscribe to receive 5 one-pot meals made in 30 minutes and FREE weekly meal plans!
- Reply
- Jamielyn Nye
  September 4, 2019
  Hi Mary! I signed you up. Now you just need to click the link in your email to confirm! :)
  Reply
- Ashley
- August 30, 2019
Now I know what I’m eating for the next month. We have loved so many of the recipes on this list!
- Reply
- Lucy Parissi
- August 30, 2019
You’ve got some great categories in this round up – something to match all moods.
- Reply