107 Easy Dinner Recipes For Family
Published Feb 16, 2022
Updated Aug 16, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Here are 107 Easy Dinner Recipes for Family. Most of these recipes are quick, but for the options that take a bit longer, they require simple cooking methods! So you don’t need to worry about following a complicated recipe.
Hi friends, is dinner time a struggle? Trust me I KNOW the struggle! Most days I struggle with what to make for the dinner table.
So I thought it would be great to have some of my favorite easy recipes in one place for a quick reference when I do not know what to make.
These are easy dinner recipes for the whole family whether for busy weeknights or for weekends. Most of these recipes are 30-minute meals. For those that require more time, they require minimal effort, and the outcome is definitely worth it.
Also, these family-friendly recipes are so approachable, requiring pantry staple ingredients (at least for those in the United States). There are no strange or hard-to-find ingredients here!
Planning meals week after week could be such a task. If you need more help with dinner planning, also check out these tips for weekly meal planning and these menu ideas.
Okay, back to today’s post, which is a powerhouse of uncomplicated dinner recipes that are way better than ordering takeout!
These Easy Dinner Recipes for Family range from chicken recipes to fish recipes to beef recipes and vegan recipes! There is something for everyone, regardless of what your dietary preferences are and for even the pickiest eaters.
So bookmark this page to refer to whenever you need quick and easy dinner ideas. I know I will be visiting this post often. It is a good one!
Also, I have updated this page and I will be updating this page often when I add more favorite recipes to my repertoire of easy dinner recipes for family. So be sure to check back for updates.
P.S. Check out my full range of dinner recipes.
Here are easy dinner recipes for family:
1. Chicken In White Sauce
Chicken in White Sauce
Luscious Chicken in White Sauce. It is creamy, garlicky, buttery and so good! A meal fit for kings yet so easy to make It cooks in 30 minutes!
View Recipe
2. Easy Chicken Stir Fry
Easy Chicken Stir Fry
This Easy Chicken Stir Fry is ready in about 20 minutes. Juicy perfectly seared chunks of garlicky chicken with tasty crispy vegetables. It is perfect with rice! This is the quick fancy balanced weeknight dinner to make. Enjoy, friends!
3. Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
These Baked Chicken Leg Quarters are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and tasty to the bone. The awesome seasoning blend makes the chicken skin taste so good, garlicky, herby like something you will get at a fancy restaurant.
View Recipe
4. Chicken Avocado Salad
Chicken Avocado Salad
This Chicken Avocado Salad is on repeat in my home. It is kid-approved, fresh with juicy chunks of chicken and a well-rounded meal. I mostly serve it as a complete meal but it will make a great appetizer, side dish or party salad. So pretty on the table and most importantly, so delicious!
View Recipe
5. Chicken Curry In a Hurry
Coconut Curry Chicken
Coconut Curry Chicken is the quick and easy dinner recipe to make when you need to put dinner on the table but you are in a hurry. It is so hearty with the creamy coconutty sauce and crisp vegetables. Serve over hot-fluffy rice!
View Recipe
6. Chicken Drumsticks in Creamy Sauce
Chicken Drumsticks in Creamy Sauce
Elevate your chicken drumsticks by making them with this creamy sauce. Chicken Drumsticks in Creamy Sauce is ready in 30 minutes and goes with rice, pasta, and vegetables. Dinner time just got better!
View Recipe
7. African Spinach Stew
African Spinach Stew with Chicken and Shrimp
This spinach stew is made by sauteeing onions then adding in tomatoes to cook and finally some chopped spinach. It is quick, easy and delicious. With only 30 minutes of cooking time, this is the perfect meal for busy weeknights! To make this vegan, use mushrooms in place of chicken and shrimp.
View Recipe
8. Pan Seared Tilapia
Pan Seared Tilapia
This Pan Seared Tilapia is a great way to cook tilapia fillets to taste really good! Trust me, you will want to double this recipe. I tested the recipe using 1 pound of fillets but my family of 2 adults and 3 kids finished 2 pounds at one go! The fish is out-of-this-world good!
View Recipe
9. Baked Cajun Salmon
Cajun Salmon
We love salmon in my home. This Cajun Salmon is so good because it is ridiculously easy to make with cajun seasoning. Serve with any vegetable or carb-y side you like.
View Recipe
10. Shrimp Pasta
Blackened Shrimp Pasta
Blackened shrimp pasta – a flavorful pasta dinner made in 30 minutes. So easy, so delicious.
View Recipe
11. Jollof Rice With Shrimp
Jollof Rice with Shrimp
West African famous meal Jollof Rice made with Shrimp is comfort food at its best! Flavorful shrimp with aromatic rice adorned with vibrant fresh veggies. This Jollof Rice with Shrimp all happens in one pot, it is made with pantry staples and requires very little prep time!
View Recipe
12. Lemon Butter Tilapia
Lemon Butter Tilapia
This Lemon Butter Tilapia recipe takes tilapia to the next level. First the fish is pan seared to golden perfection then drenched in a garlicky lemony buttery insanely good lemon butter sauce. The perfect meal to enjoy with a wide array of side dishes.
View Recipe
13. West African Peanut Soup
African Peanut Stew – Mafe
Luscious glistening African Peanut Stew! Travel to West Africa by making this hearty stew. It will give new meaning to your boiled rice. It will make you cry happy tears. It is one recipe you will want to make over and over again. Enjoy!
View Recipe
14. Easy Beef Stir Fry
Easy Beef Stir Fry
Easy Beef Stir Fry that happens in 30 minutes. Once you marinate your beef, you are good to go! I used bell peppers in this recipe but feel free to use any veggies you like alongside the beef. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
View Recipe
15. Pan Seared Ribeye
Pan Seared Ribeye Steaks
Pan-seared ribeye Steaks are some of the tastiest things I have ever eaten! Incredibly flavorful meat that only needs a little seasoning to shine. You will feel like you are dining at a 5-star restaurant when you try this. It's elegant enough for special occasions like date night or Valentine's Day and easy enough to make on weeknights or Sunday Supper. Serve with some sautรฉed vegetables or your favorite side dish, and you have a magnificent meal!
View Recipe
16. African Beef Stew
African Beef Stew
See Recipe Video Above. African Beef Stew is quite different from American Beef Stew. The main ingredient is tomato so you may as well call it a tomato stew. My method of making African Beef Stew includes cooking the tomatoes with a tasty blend of spices then adding the oil at the end. The taste is out of this world!
View Recipe
17. Lasagna With Bรฉchamel Sauce
Lasagna with Bรฉchamel Sauce
Lasagna with homemade bechamel sauce combines layers of pasta, rich bolognese sauce, and creamy bechamel for a comforting and hearty meal. This dish symbolizes abundance and unity, perfect for family gatherings.
View Recipe
18. Lentil Stew
Lentil Stew
The secret is in the combination of spices used! This yields a really flavorful Lentil Stew that makes a nutritious vegetarian or vegan dinner. Enjoy as is or pair with some crusty bread, cornbread or rice. This is one yumminess you'll need to make over and over again.
View Recipe
19. Coconut Fried Rice
Coconut Fried Rice
Coconut Fried Rice is pure fried rice epicness. The rice is cooked in coconut milk then stir-fried in coconut oil. Perfectly coconutty and vegan!
View Recipe
20. Mushroom Fried Rice
Mushroom Fried Rice
I love 30 minute meals like this healthy insanely delish and vegan mushroom fried rice! It comes together in no time especially if you precook the rice before and save in the fridge. You won’t miss the meat in this one!
View Recipe
21. Mixed Vegetables With Cabbage
Mixed Vegetables with Cabbage
This medley of vegetables is an easy delicious way to get lots of veggies into your body. The veggies taste great due to the epic spice blend I use. Enjoy your mixed vegetables with cabbage as is or enjoy with a starchy side of choice. So scrumptious!
View Recipe
22. Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta
Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta
This Garlic Butter Chicken Pasta is family-friendly, loaded with flavor and so easy to make. When you make a recipe your whole family loves, then you know it is one for the books. Just add a green salad and you have a complete dinner!
View Recipe
23. 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese
3 Cheese Mac and Cheese
How to make gooey delicious 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese. The perfect holiday side dish or everyday dinner!
View Recipe
24. Salmon and Broccoli Sheet Pan
Salmon and Broccoli Sheet Pan
This Salmon and Broccoli Sheet Pan dinner is the easiest ever! The salmon is seasoned with an easy seasoning that takes the fish to the next level. The broccoli gets slightly crispy around the edges and takes on a bit of sweetness in the oven. Serve this Salmon and Broccoli as is for an easy dinner recipe or add some roasted potatoes if you like.
View Recipe
25. Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger
Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger
This Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger is loaded with flavor from the spices used. You can make really tasty burger at home on the stovetop or on the grill!
View Recipe
26. One Pan Chicken and Potatoes and Veggies
One Pan Chicken and Potatoes and Veggies
What do you do when you have to put dinner on the table but you don't have much time? You make One Pan Chicken and Potatoes and Veggies! Only 10 minutes of hands-on time seasoning the ingredients, then you let the oven do ALL the work. You'll be rewarded with a tasty, balanced, satisfying meal you are bound to make over and over again!
View Recipe
27. Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta is a family favorite and is ready in 30 minutes. Use shredded rotisserie chicken or easily cook some chicken breasts from scratch following the directions in the recipe. You'll love how easy this recipe comes together yet it tastes like something you'd get from a high end restaurant.
View Recipe
28. Easy Chicken Spaghetti
Easy Chicken Spaghetti
Easy Chicken Spaghetti – spaghetti tossed in a white sauce with chicken. It is so tasty and ready in 20 minutes! This is an easy dinner recipe the whole family will love!
View Recipe
29. Spaghetti Stir Fry
Spaghetti Stir Fry
This Spaghetti Stir Fry is loaded with tasty chicken, scrambled eggs, crisp veggies. It is garlicky, a complete balanced meal which is ready in 30 minutes!
View Recipe
30. Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup
The flavors in this roasted tomato and garlic soup are unmatched! Never open a can of tomatoes for tomato soup again!
View Recipe
31. Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole
Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole
This baked chicken and rice casserole is made in one pan with very few ingredients. An easy cheesy dinner the whole family will love! All you need to do is combine all ingredients in an oven-safe bowl and bake for an easy one-pan chicken and rice dish. Enjoy!
View Recipe
32. One Pot Creamy Macaroni and Chicken
One Pot Creamy Macaroni and Chicken
This one pot creamy macaroni and chicken is literally the easiest dinner ever. Only 30 minutes and you have a wholesome meal right before you. Hope you enjoy!
View Recipe
33. 30 Minute Pasta Dinner
30 Minute Pasta Dinner
This dinner made with tortellini pasta requires only five ingredients. It is fresh, vibrant and so easy to make.
34. Lemon Pepper Tilapia
Lemon Pepper Tilapia
Lemony tasty tilapia, with just a few ingredients! This Lemon Pepper Tilapia is ready in 15 minutes!
View Recipe
35. Spaghetti Omelette
Spaghetti Omelette
This spaghetti omelette is the kind of breakfast I dream of having every morning. Loaded with all the nutrients, fresh, filling and insanely delicious! I grew up eating this spaghetti omelette occasionally from cafeterias in Cameroon. It was always such a special treat! And it is even better when made at home because you can customize to add other veggies/proteins you like. Some may refer to this as a spaghetti frittata. It is quite close to a frittata. Enjoy this African Breakfast Recipe!
View Recipe
36. Chicken And Potatoes
Chicken and Potatoes
Chicken and Potatoes: a meal that requires only a few minutes of hands-on time yet tastes so gourmet. The perfect dinner for weekdays or weekends. Enjoy!
View Recipe
37. Easy Quiche
Easy Quiche Recipe
This easy quiche recipe is made from scratch and perfect for breakfast lunch or dinner.
View Recipe
38. Fish In White Sauce
Fish In White Sauce
Flaky fish in a creamy white lemony sauce that is garlicky and so tasty! You'll love this easy Fish In White Sauce dinner, ready in 25 minutes.
View Recipe
39. Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice
Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice
With a combination of seafood and chicken, this fried rice is meaty, tasty, highly flavorful, and makes a standalone meal or side dish. Add this Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice recipe to your recipe repertoire. It is ready in under 30 minutes and makes a quick weeknight dinner or an elegant dinner.
View Recipe
40. Beef Stew Without Wine
Beef Stew Without Wine
How to make the most incredible Beef Stew Without Wine, without flour, and without tomato paste. This wholesome beef stew is so tasty, it will quickly become your favorite way to make Beef Stew. Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop the stew.
View Recipe
41. Lemon Butter Salmon
Lemon Butter Salmon
How to make soft juicy Lemon Butter Salmon. This Salmon recipe is ridiculously easy, ready in 30 minutes, and quite possibly the best salmon you will ever have!
View Recipe
42. Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
Quick Chicken Noodle Soup is hearty, tasty and ready in 20 minutes!
View Recipe
43. Mayonnaise Chicken
Mayonnaise Chicken
Succulent rich garlicky herby chicken marinated with an insanely good mayonnaise marinade. You'll want to put this Mayonnaise Chicken on your weekly dinner rotation. So good!
View Recipe
44. Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs with an incredible marinade that makes the chicken super juicy! Can be made on the stove or on the grill. Enjoy these grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs with a salad, in a wrap, some rice or any side you like!
View Recipe
45. Grilled Whole Red Snapper
Grilled Whole Red Snapper
Grilled Whole Red Snapper is incredibly tasty! Ready in 25 minutes and made in the oven, this is a no-fuss whole fish recipe that anyone can make. It is incredibly flavorful with the combination of herbs used. An easy dinner recipe for the whole family!
View Recipe
46. Seafood Gumbo
Seafood Gumbo
Rich Seafood Gumbo made with shrimp, crabs, sausage and chicken and so tasty with bold flavors. Serve with boiled rice, crusty French bread or grits. This Seafood Gumbo is a Creole dish that should be on your list of “special meals to make for my family”. It is that special.
View Recipe
47. Tomato Fish Stew – Cameroonian Fish Stew
Tomato Fish Stew – Cameroonian Fish Stew
This Tomato Fish Stew pairs well with rice. It is garlicky, so flavorful with a nice sweetness for the tomatoes.
View Recipe
48. Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
The best flavor-packed Baked Chicken Drumsticks you will ever make! Great for an easy dinner as you only need 10 mins of prep time. Serve it with a vegetable and starchy side of choice and you have a complete meal!
View Recipe
49. Beef Fried Rice
Beef Fried Rice
This Beef Fried Rice is a one-pot wonder, a complete meal with tasty garlicky rice, flavorful browned beef and crisp veggies. Totally approved by my whole family.
View Recipe
50. Chicken Skewers
Chicken Skewers
Tender tasty chunks of chicken cooked on skewers. The kind of recipe to make when you want to show off!
View Recipe
51. Pan Grilled Salmon
Pan Grilled Salmon
How to make incredibly tasty Pan Grilled Salmon. The dry rub that goes on the fish adds lots of flavor to an already tasty fish. Serve this with a favorite vegetable side dish for a complete meal.
View Recipe
52. Pilau
Pilau
This is Pilau: a fragrant one-pot rice meal. The rice is cooked in a fragrant broth loaded with spices. The aroma is out of this world! Pilau is a popular Kenyan dish conspicuously present at Kenyan parties! It is also popular in other East African countries. Get your spices, some long grain rice and let’s make this East African delight!
View Recipe
53. Baked Turkey Breast
Baked Turkey Breast
This recipe calls for bone-in double turkey breast. For a one half turkey breast that is about 3-4 pounds, half all the ingredients in the recipe.
View Recipe
54. Herb Roasted Turkey
Herb Roasted Turkey
This Herb Roasted Turkey is loaded with flavor from the garlic herb butter used. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or Dinner!
View Recipe
55. African Chicken Stew
African Chicken Stew
If you want a stew recipe that is loaded with flavor, hard to stop eating and pairs well with rice, pasta, crusty bread, plantains, potatoes, yams, etc, you're welcome! This African Chicken Stew is so flavorful and perfect for festive days or weekends. This tomato stew is about to become your new favorite stew!
View Recipe
56. Plantain Lasagna – Pastelon
Plantain Lasagna
Layers of soft sweet plantains, tasty meat sauce, and gooey cheese. A combination that is totally to die for! You will want to make to make this Plantain Lasagna again and again.
View Recipe
57. Lemon Pepper Turkey Wings
Lemon Pepper Turkey Wings
These Lemon Pepper Turkey Wings are juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, lemony, garlicky, and the perfect dinner whether for everyday dinner or for the holidays! They are easy to prep and so flavorful!
View Recipe
58. Pan Seared Boneless Pork Chops
Pan Seared Boneless Pork Chops
These Pan Seared Boneless Pork Chops are the tastiest pork chops you'll ever have! They are ready in 25 minutes from start to finish and perfect for weeknights, Sunday dinners, or the holidays.
View Recipe
59. Egusi Soup – Nigerian Egusi Soup
Egusi Soup – Nigerian Egusi Soup
Egusi soup made the Nigerian way with red palm oil and different kinds of meats. Enjoy with pounded yam, garri or other kinds of fufu.
View Recipe
60. Marry Me Chicken
Marry Me Chicken
The deliciousness of this Marry Me Chicken will leave you craving for seconds and thirds. Ready in 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for weeknights or for entertaining. And as the name suggests, this meal could really get you a marriage proposal.
View Recipe
61. Steak Fried Rice
Steak Fried Rice
This Steak Fried Rice is filled with tender bits of steak, aromatic rice, eggs, and crisp veggies. The perfect 30-minute dinner and also a great way to clean out the fridge!
View Recipe
62. Nigerian Beef Stew
Nigerian Beef Stew
Nigerian Beef Stew is a vibrant tomato beef stew made with bell peppers, tomatoes, and aromatics. Serve with a side of rice, sweet fried plantains, and coleslaw for a true Nigerian dining experience. This recipe makes a big pot of stew so feel free to scale the recipe if you want a smaller quantity.
View Recipe
63. Baked Thin Chicken Breasts
Baked Thin Chicken Breasts
No more dry, bland chicken breasts! Learn how to make Baked Thin Chicken Breasts that are flavor-packed, juicy and ready in 15 minutes!
View Recipe
64. Herb Roasted Duck
Herb Roasted Duck
If you are looking for a duck recipe that yields really tasty duck without any added sugar, make this Herb Roasted Duck. It is garlicky, herby, and flavorful to the bone. The perfect main dish for holiday gatherings and special dinners. See blog post above for step-by-step photos and lots of tips.
View Recipe
65. Pan Seared Sea Bass
Pan Seared Sea Bass
Thin sea bass fillets are well seasoned and pan-seared to create a quick tasty meal. May this Pan Seared Sea Bass become a regular on your dinner table. You could replace sea bass with any other fish with firm flesh.
View Recipe
66. Oven Baked Turkey Wings
Oven Baked Turkey Wings
View Recipe67. Pan Seared Chicken Tenders
Pan Seared Chicken Tenders
Flavor-packed, tender, and juicy are some words to describe these Pan Seared Chicken Tenders. They are ready in 15 minutes. Isn't this what dinner dreams are made of?
View Recipe
68. Baked Dry Rub Ribs
Baked Dry Rub Ribs
The tastiest Baked Dry Rub Ribs you will ever have! Made with a simple dry rub, these pork ribs are easy enough to make for weeknights and fancy enough to make for the holidays or special occasions.
View Recipe
69. Jerk Chicken Wings
Jerk Chicken Wings
These Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings; all the flavors of Jerk Chicken on Chicken Wings. So perfect for outdoor grilling or can be made in the oven under broil. Spicy, smoky, so good!
View Recipe
70. Chicken Meatballs
Chicken Meatballs
These Chicken Meatballs are baked but taste fried. They are paired with a savory-sweet herby tomato sauce and served with spaghetti. You can serve these chicken meatballs with any side you like.
View Recipe
71. Plantain Pancakes (Breakfast For Dinner)
Plantain Pancakes
Plantain pancakes made with ultra sweet plantains need no added sugar because the sweetness from the plantains is enough! They are slightly sweet, with a hint of cinnamon and amazing plantain flavor. These pancakes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, snacking or breakfast-for dinner.
View Recipe
72. Herb Roasted Chicken
Herb Roasted Chicken
Herb Roasted Chicken with garlic and herbs. You could use dry or fresh herbs for this recipe. I used dried herbs for a quicker prep time. The combination of herbs and garlic makes this whole roasted chicken so flavorful! It is a must-try especially if you love easy dinner recipes.
View Recipe
73. Chicken Pepper Soup
Chicken Pepper Soup
This is a hearty soup made with chicken and intense spices. It only takes about an hour!
View Recipe
74. Goat Meat Pepper Soup
Goat Meat Pepper Soup Recipe
A hearty soup cooked with goat meat, herbs and spices. This Goat Meat Pepper Soup recipe is so easy to make and perfect for cold days.
View Recipe
75. Savory French Toast (Breakfast For Dinner)
Savory French Toast
My mother’s recipe for Savory French Toast. This Savory French Toast is made without milk. It is a very easy french toast recipe with minimal ingredients yet so tasty! Enjoy!
View Recipe
76. Epic Oven Grilled Chicken Wings
Epic Oven Grilled Chicken Wings
These oven grilled chicken wings are epic in every way. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and super tasty with big bold flavors! Enjoy these oven grilled chicken wings on their own (seriously) or pair with your favorite side. My favorite side is some fried plantains and some pepper sauce or spicy/herby mayo. Enjoyment at its peak!
View Recipe
77. Poulet Yassa – Chicken Yassa
Poulet Yassa (Chicken Yassa)
This Poulet Yassa also called Chicken Yassa is chicken cooked in caramelized onions – one of West Africa’s favorite dishes! Perfect with boiled rice for dinner.
View Recipe
78. Potato Frittata (Breakfast For Dinner)
Potato Frittata
How to make absolutely tasty Potato Frittata with creamy potatoes and well-seasoned eggs. The perfect breakfast, brunch lunch or dinner! This frittata can be made ahead too which makes it ideal for entertaining.
View Recipe
79. Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts
Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts
Make juicy, flavorful, thin sliced chicken breasts in 10 minutes! Never have dry chicken breasts again!
View Recipe
80. African Meat Pies
