What Should I Eat for Dinner? 15 Recipes for Dinner Inspiration

Oh, the age-old question: What should I eat for dinner? How many times has that phrase run through your head today? And why is dinner such a conundrum? Maybe because we're rushing around all day without a chance to properly sit down and eat. Dinner is the one time we can sit back and enjoy our food with our loved ones, and we want to make sure it checks every box — a delicious, comforting, but still healthy dinner.

The only problem is coming up with recipe ideas that don't take too much cooking time. Here are 15 dinner recipes that will give you the ultimate dinner inspiration without keeping you in the kitchen for hours on end.

Flat-Out Sweet Potato Cauliflower Pizza

‍Sweet potato cauliflower pizza works well when you're in the mood to indulge, but you'd rather not order greasy takeout. This recipe gives you the comforting taste of pizza but with a healthy dinner twist. The added sweet potato and cauliflower gives you some additional nutritional value while not going overboard on the cheese. You can even throw together a hearty side salad and include all your greens.

Spring Tortilla de Patata

Let's set the scene: You've come home from an exhausting day at work and open the fridge to find some vegetable scraps and not much else. How are you expected to make dinner? Introducing the spring tortilla de patata. The traditional tortilla is made from eggs and potato, but this recipe includes those leftover vegetables buried in your produce drawer. This is a warm, comforting, Spanish-inspired dish that's also really inexpensive to make and works well for a weeknight dinner.

Chicken Souvlaki With Greek Quinoa Salad, Caramelized Lemons, and Tzatziki

It's rare you can capture the same magic at home that a Greek restaurant can provide. But with this chicken souvlaki with Greek quinoa salad, caramelized lemons, and tzatziki, you'll be bringing some of those incredible flavors directly into your kitchen. This dinner recipe replaces all the heavy carbs you'd usually be getting with some slow carbs like quinoa. It's also ideal for weight loss and is gluten free and low carb. ‍

Chicken Curry With Cauliflower & Sweet Potatoes

When you're in the mood to unwind in front of the television or relax with some friends, this chicken curry with cauliflower and sweet potatoes is just the ticket. It's dripping in spicy flavor with garlic, ginger, curry, coriander, cumin, and a pinch of cayenne. This chicken recipe is high in protein, gluten free, and is an ideal solution for a healthy chicken dinner.

Coriander-Crusted Flank Steak With Cuban Black Beans

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a satisfying steak. This coriander-crusted flank steak with Cuban black beans will take as little as 40 minutes to throw together. Quick tip — crack the peppercorns and coriander and throw them in a Ziploc bag, then crush with the bottom of a heavy skillet. The combination of the spice rub upgrades the grilled meat, giving it a seriously robust flavor.

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

You need very few ingredients for this chicken recipe, including chicken thighs, olive oil, small whole wheat tortillas, and half a medium avocado. These chicken fajitas are easy — they’re cooked all together on one sheet pan, so you avoid the greasy mess often associated with cooking fajitas. This healthy and simple chicken recipe will take only 35 minutes of cooking time and is a family favorite.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Need inspiration for those spaghetti noodles you have in your pantry? If you're looking for new ways to update your age-old recipe, try this spaghetti alla carbonara. This Italian recipe calls for 4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, and 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, both rich flavors that give good old spaghetti a serious twist. All that's left to do is to pour yourself a glass of white wine.

Pan-Seared Salmon With Farro and Wilted Spinach

Another ideal option if you're short on time is pan-seared salmon with farro and wilted spinach. Fish cooks super fast, and this salmon recipe can be ready on the table in 15 minutes or less. Feel free to switch out the farro for any other whole grain, like brown rice or quinoa. Healthy eating that’s low carb: check!

Lemon and Dill Quinoa Chicken Soup

Sometimes, a really big meal just doesn't fit the bill and you'd really rather a small comforting bowl of soup — especially in the winter months. This lemon and dill quinoa chicken soup is a fun twist on a traditional favorite. You might not be used to quinoa in your soup, but it’s ideal because it doesn’t soak up too much liquid. This chicken dish is also low fat, so it’s a smart choice for a healthy dinner.

Herb Apple Cider Bacon Chicken

More often than not you're stuck for dinner inspiration and all you can work with is the few ingredients you see in your pantry. Luck is on your side tonight with this herb apple cider bacon chicken recipe. All you need for this chicken recipe is bacon, skinless chicken breasts, apple cider, chicken broth, and basic spices you’ll find in your pantry. This recipe is easy to throw together for a hearty and satisfying dinner tonight.

Chicken Stir-Fry

Easy, healthy chicken breast recipes should always be in your cooking arsenal and a chicken stir-fry is a dinner dish that will never disappoint. This Thai-inspired healthy dinner includes broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, green beans, bok choy, and of course, juicy chicken breasts. You'll be getting a huge dose of healthy nutrients, not to mention healthy fats in the sesame oil. This dish takes just 10 minutes of meal prep and only 20 minutes of cooking.

Roasted Vegetable Salad Over Israeli Couscous

‍Roasted vegetable salad over Israeli couscous is a great vegetarian recipe for anyone in the mood for a lighter low-fat dinner. A roasted salad is a delicious way to get all your nutritious vegetables in, and the carrots, figs, garlic, and shallots will taste super sweet post-roasting.

30-Minute Cod With Lemony Braised Fennel

You’re having guests over for dinner, but you just got home from work and only have 30 minutes to throw something together. This 30-minute cod with lemony braised fennel is just the ticket. Fish is always the perfect dinner food when you're short on time, and this will make for an elegant and tasty dish that will impress your guests. This healthy recipe also works well for a weeknight dinner.

Soba Noodles With Salmon

Soba noodles have recently become popular as more and more restaurants are using Asian-inspired ingredients. But soba noodles have actually been around since the dawn of time and work well when paired with fish, especially salmon. This soba noodles with salmon recipe also includes fish sauce, another popular Asian ingredient that's useful to stock in your pantry. This is a super easy recipe that can be pulled together in 30 minutes from start to finish.

Baja Style Fish Tacos

‍Baja style fish tacos are a great dinner idea if you're craving Mexican food — and aside from Mexican beer, tomatillo salsa, and pickled jalapenos, you won't need any other special ingredients. The recipe calls for flour, mayonnaise, and cabbage — all staples in your pantry. This is the ideal dish if you're having a large dinner or entertaining as it serves 6–8 people.

Overcome Your Creative Cooking Block

The next time you're stuck for dinner ideas or lacking dinner inspiration, just remember that a delicious and indulgent dinner isn't impossible. Decide what you're in the mood for or take stock of your pantry and experiment with a few of these delicious-tasting recipes. Bon appétit!