75 Hearty Winter Dinner Ideas That Take 1 Hour or Less

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 people

“The Italian sausage does a lot of the heavy lifting in this recipe because it has so much built-in seasoning, which means you can achieve a very flavorful dish with fewer ingredients,” writes Sabrina Snyder of this swoon-worthy pasta recipe from her cookbook, Dinner Then Dessert. I think I found my new favorite weeknight meal.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Like It: <30 minutes, instant pot recipe, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

“I absolutely adore [risotto] but rarely make it, because I do not have the time to give it the attention the traditional way requires. But with an Instant Pot or other multifunction cooker, you can enjoy the creamiest risotto any night of the week,” explains Meseidy Rivera of this dreamy and oh-so easy recipe from her cookbook, Weeknight Gourmet Dinners. Indeed, this is fuss-free comfort food at its finest.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8 people

A classic choice with an updated twist. Consider this the lazy cook’s spaghetti and meatballs.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

It’s packed with beans, kale, Parm and tiny meatballs, so it’ll warm you from the inside out. The secret to streamlining the recipe is using Italian sausage instead of ground meat; since the sausage is already seasoned, you don’t need to fuss with spices or chop onions to make the meatballs—just ball up the ground sausage and you’re good to go.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <500 calories
• Serves: 6 people

Salad? In winter? Trust us: This one has plenty of filling toppings that won’t leave you hungry in an hour. “This salad offers a serious combination of flavors and textures,” writes Aran Goyoaga, author of the new cookbook Cannelle et Vanille, “while still being simple and uncomplicated. The roasted squash and white beans are buttery, the bread crumbs add texture and the preserved lemons offer a surprising floral brine.” I’m sold, and your guests will be, too.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 6 people

It’s buttery and rich, just like your mom used to make…except so much easier, thanks to flavor-boosting sour cream and mustard. The tenderloin melts in your mouth and the presentation makes it worthy of a dinner party. What’s not to love?

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 people

This one is pretty much guaranteed to impress your dinner guests—even more so when they find out it took you less than an hour to make. (Or maybe don’t tell them.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

It’s got all the usual suspects (greens, beans, cheese), plus a spoonful of pesto for a hint of freshness. Don’t forget the crusty bread for dipping.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 people

“The recipe calls for pre-cooked sausage,” says PureWow food editor Taryn Pire, who tried the recipe at home. “So, I’d advise cooking it according to package instructions in a large skillet while waiting for the water to boil, transferring it to a plate or cutting board, slicing it into rounds, then picking up at step two in the same pan. That way, you make the most of all the flavorful drippings left behind, as pictured.” Noted.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

“Lamb curry is something you might not think to make at home, but transforming the dish into a quick-cooking meatball curry makes it approachable any night of the week,” writes Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest about her recipe, adding that, “by using ground meat, you cut down on the cooking time and can have this dish ready to eat in 30 minutes or less.” I’d like to add that I want to dive straight into this sauce, but I’ll settle for dipping some naan in it instead.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 4 people

Our recipe calls for pecorino Romano because it’s more widely available, but if you can get your hands on ricotta salata you will have something closer to the traditional Italian dish. Whichever cheese you choose, you’ll feel like you’re in the sunny Italian Riviera when you cozy up to a bowl of this eggplant pasta.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

You had us at feta. This stunner is as easy as oven-roasting the poultry and potatoes, then topping everything with a bright mixture of cheese, lemon and harissa yogurt to balance out the rich, crispy chicken. This one comes from Diana Henry’s cookbook, From the Oven to the Table, and she’s partial to thighs because they’re so hard to overcook. That said, Henry writes that “if you like a mixture of thighs and drumsticks [you can] just replace half the thighs with drumsticks.”

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 3 people

This 30-minute baked pasta is bubbly, cheesy and almost as good as a warm hug from the Barefoot Contessa herself. Garten has a pro tip: “You can bake this pasta in one larger dish, but making individual gratins looks so much more professional.” Go ahead and cook to impress if you feel so inclined.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4 people

Fast, easy and minimal cleanup? Check, check and check. Plus, “Brussels sprouts get caramelized and browned right next to the chicken, so they soak up all the delicious pan juices,” explains recipe author Maria Lichty. Yum.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein
• Serves: 6 people

Easy to make and true to the flavors of the traditional Swedish dish. If you don’t serve them over a steaming bed of buttery mashed potatoes, are you really living?

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, sheet pan recipe
• Serves: 4 people

“The glaze in this dish combines spicy Dijon mustard and sweet maple syrup for a nicely balanced flavor that’s equally delicious on the chicken as it is on the veggies,” Gina Homolka explains of this divine chicken dinner from her cookbook, Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners For Your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Air Fryer, Sheet Pan, Skillet, Dutch Oven and More. Not only is this a one-pan meal, it’s also surprisingly good for you. I call that a win-win.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian
• Serves: 6 people

Tender pillows of cheesy heaven that happen to be lower in carbs than their pasta counterpart and gluten-free? Sign us up.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, low sugar
• Serves: 6 people

This healthier version of zuppa Toscana calls for half-and-half in place of heavy cream and turkey sausage instead of pork sausage. In other words, you can have a hearty, satisfying dinner without it being gut-busting or heavy, and this soup is proof.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, high protein
• Serves: 6 people

A smaller selection of seafood turns fussy bouillabaisse into an easy weeknight dinner. One bite and you’re not huddled under a blanket on your couch; you’re in the French countryside sipping a glass of white wine. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <500 calories, gluten free
• Serves: 4 to 6 people

Cold days call for creamy soups with lots of irresistible toppings, like sour cream, bacon and cheddar cheese. And I think we can all agree that the toppings are the best part of a baked potato. This soup has ‘em all and it’s refreshingly light compared to a loaded spud.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, one pan, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 people

It’s hearty, yes, but it’s also elegant and damn easy to make. You’re basically Julia Child.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: one pan, special occasion–worthy, high protein, gluten free
• Serves: 2 people

It’s too chilly to go out to eat, but with this foolproof, restaurant-level dish, you don’t even need to leave your house. One word of advice: prod the steak regularly throughout the cooking process to test for desired doneness and keep in mind that it will continue to cook when it rests.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, dairy free
• Serves: 4 people

If you’ve got chickpeas and coconut milk in your pantry, you’re already halfway to dinnertime. Oh, and there’s no need to run to the store to get every ingredient on the list. This recipe is very riffable and a great way to use up any produce you have in your fridge. It’s a personal favorite of Executive Editor, Dara Katz, who says, “Over a bed of jasmine rice, and you’ve got yourself the easiest vegan dinner.”

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 6 people

Baked ziti? A favorite. All the cleanup afterward? Not so much. Here, thankfully, the dishes are pretty much already done.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, special occasion-worthy, low sugar
• Serves: 4 to 6 people

Everyone is coming over for dinner and you don’t know what to cook? I have an idea, and it stars golden-brown chicken, tangy feta and plenty of olives.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 6 people

Few meals are more comforting than a bowl of ooey-gooey mac and cheese. This one is kind of fancy, because you’re better than the boxed stuff.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

Chicken soup, I could never forget you. Oh, and if you feel like really indulging in carbs, I strongly suggest crumbling some oyster crackers on top for a little crunch.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6 people

Way, way better than the microwave version you lived on in college (but just as effortless to make). This recipe is great as is, but there’s plenty of room to customize it, too. I like to add bok choy, cilantro and lime to mine.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8 to 10 people

It turns out your baking sheet basically guarantees a crackly, golden-brown crust. Best of all, you don’t even have to fuss with making your own pizza dough. This recipe calls for the store bought kind.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 4 people

I’m a sucker for bread bowls, because who doesn’t love a vessel that you can eat instead of wash? Serve these for the kids’ next playdate to instantly become the coolest mom ever.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, gluten free
• Serves: 4 people

Who knew steak could be low-mess and no-fuss? Your trusty baking sheet knew. Best of all, when you use this sheet pan method, you won’t smoke up your kitchen or have grease stains all over your stovetop. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, vegetarian, <500 calories
• Serves: 6 people

OK, hear us out. This bake is so cheesy and decadent that it’s well worth waiting an extra 10 minutes. It’s also healthier than potatoes au gratin, so no need to feel too guilty about all that cheese.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6 people

Skip all the stovetop stirring—this creamy number comes together in the oven. I have a feeling you’ll be loath to try the conventional method after you taste this baked version.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
• Serves: 4 people

Not only do you only need five ingredients to pull off this weeknight wonder, but they’re all pantry staples that you likely already have on hand. PureWow food editor Taryn Pire tested this recipe at home and has a word of advice: “dried spaghetti usually comes in 16-ounce boxes, so either weigh out 12 ounces or add a bit more butter, oil and cheese in the following steps to accommodate the extra pasta,” she writes, adding that “this recipe is basically impossible to mess up, so don’t sweat it too much. You’ll fall for the salty, silky, cheesy sauce at first bite.”

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <15 minutes, one pan
• Serves: 2 people

This Thai classic cooks up in a single skillet for minimal cleanup. It’s also ready in the blink of an eye—just be sure to use dark soy sauce for best results (i.e., bold flavor).

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <15 minutes, one skillet, <500 calories
• Serves: 4 people

A beef-heavy dinner doesn’t need to be super unhealthy. One serving of this clocks in at only 230 calories, thanks to all those veggies.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 people

I love the simplicity of this dish and think it’s wonderful as is. But if you want to toss in a protein, go right ahead; the spicy sauce will taste great on chicken, salmon or shrimp.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, dairy free, high protein
• Serves: 2 people

I love this warm chickpea stew from Coterie member Jodi Moreno, because it’s so adaptable: “The eggplant can be switched out for other vegetables that might be in season, such as squash or zucchini. Also feel free to switch out millet for another kind of grain such as quinoa or farro (and cook accordingly),” says Moreno. So feel free to experiment, friends.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, vegetarian
• Serves: 8 people

Aka the most kid-friendly dinner ever. It’s vegetarian as-is, but you can also add shredded chicken or ground beef for a boost of protein.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, keto, high protein
• Serves: 4 people

This keto-friendly pork chop recipe from Torie Borrelli’s The Mexican Keto Cookbook is impossibly tender. How, you ask? “The trick to these chops is that they are salted 45 minutes before cooking and they are at room temperature before throwing them on a hot, sizzling cast-iron skillet,” Borrelli writes. “Small tricks can really change texture. It’s the difference between having a tough piece of meat versus one that melts in your mouth with smooth but crispy fat near the bone.”

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, one pan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

Crisp green beans and crunchy peanuts meet spicy-sweet, kung pao-inspired chicken. Try this quick and easy stir-fry and you’ll be ditching those takeout menus immediately.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, high protein, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

Loaded with carrots, radishes, bell peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini *and* eggplant. This is a meal-prep dinner to keep up your sleeve; do the chopping on Sunday and thank me on Wednesday.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: low carb, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4 people

The grits are bursting with butter, milk and goat cheese—but none of the carbs. So, can you have your cake and eat it, too? The answer is a resounding ‘yes.’

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 6 people

“This super easy Vegetarian Quinoa Bake is a one pot wonder. It's prepped and baked in a skillet, loaded with various ad-ins and topped it with cheese,” writes recipe developer and cookbook author Gaby Dalkin. I think the best part is the green chiles and tomatillo salsa, which give this dish a solid kick.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

File this under Best Ways to Use Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey. Even better news? You can make the very same recipe year round with store bought rotisserie chicken instead. Either way, don’t pass on the pepitas—the nutty flavor and pleasant crunch they contribute is key.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6 people (makes 24 wings)

A dose of sweet chili sauce takes the edge off (as would a side of ranch dressing). This will quickly become a game day favorite.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, high protein, low sugar
• Serves: 4 people

Not only is the chicken stuffed with gooey mozzarella, but it's breaded with two types of bread crumbs for extra crunch. Oh, and you don’t need to feel guilty about indulging in this recipe from Chrissy Teigen’s second cookbook, Cravings: Hungry for More—namely because these juicy chicken cutlets basically count as a salad. “Whoever invented Milanese has some serious Jedi-mind-trick stuff going on. I mean, it’s a salad. But on top of a fried chicken cutlet. It’s like spa food. But it’s fried chicken,” she says. I don’t know about you, but I can definitely get down with that logic.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. Some pairings are just meant to be. Add gnocchi and a luscious, cheesy sauce to that list.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <500 calories, vegetarian
• Serves: 6 people

It works with fresh or canned pumpkin—the choice is yours. Either way, this is a perfectly festive soul food recipe that will comfort you all through the colder months, and make an impression at special occasions, to boot.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, gluten free
• Serves: 4 people

Sure, you can call it a side, since it goes well with pretty much any protein, including fish. Still, Whitney Otawka’s recipe for charred cauliflower with crunchy garlic chile oil—borrowed from her new cookbook, The Saltwater Table: Recipes from the Coastal South—is delicious enough to take center stage. “This dish is a good excuse to bypass meat as the main course and opt for a vegetarian dinner,” Otawka writes, adding that “cauliflower is a particularly good focal point for an all-veggie dinner, since it is crunchy and slightly sweet and pairs well with a range of flavors.”

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

This editor-approved recipe for firecracker chicken relies on a simple cornstarch and egg coating to achieve excellent results with nothing more than a quick pan-fry…so put down the phone and step away from the takeout menu. You’ve got this. 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: low sugar, high protein, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8 people

Trade traditional kidney beans, beef and canned tomatoes for white beans, ground turkey and canned corn. The avocado is optional (but you’d be a damn fool not to include it).

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6 people

Serve them sliced over a green salad, alongside a pile of fries or on a sub roll with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. There’s so much you can do with this dish, and it’s a breath of fresh air when you’re caught in that please-not-another-chicken-dinner rut.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

Erin McDowell’s mini cranberry potpies are festive, unfussy and—best of all—portioned for just one person. (OK, maybe two.) “I really like serving these at fall dinner parties or even Friendsgiving when you want something festive but also unexpected. The best part about a cranberry filling is that the fruit naturally thickens up a lot on its own, so you don’t have to add a bunch of other ingredients, and you never have to worry about it being too runny or too juicy. It’s very simple,” explains the author of The Fearless Baker. I’m sold, you? 

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: one pan, high protein, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

Might I suggest sipping it with a glass of Pinot Noir? (If you aren’t already blending margaritas, that is.)

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, sheet pan recipe
• Serves: 4 people

I honestly didn’t know a dish this elegant could be made so quickly. Heck, you’ll even have time to whip up dessert. When it comes to knowing exactly when to remove your one pan chicken dinner from the oven, just follow this sound advice from recipe developer Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest: “When everything is done, the chicken should be perfectly roasted and the glaze super sticky. The squash should be tender and lightly caramelized.” Roger that.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion–worthy, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4 people

Zingy citrus, briny capers and potent Dijon mustard will snap you right out of your chicken slump. Note: if you have thicker chops, you can use the bottom of a cast iron pan to pound them thin or butterfly them with your sharpest kitchen knife.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, paleo, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

All the filling (cabbage! scallions! ground pork!) minus the outer shell. This low-carb dinner will not disappoint. Psst: You can even make it gluten-free by swapping tamari for the soy sauce.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, low sugar, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4 people

Fact: A runny egg never hurts. To speed up your prep time, just buy pre-riced cauliflower in the produce aisle and call it a day.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
• Serves: 6 people

“So much better than takeout! Packed with bites of tender chicken, rice noodles, cilantro, basil and lime juice,” writes Chungah Rhee recipe developer and food blogger at Damn Delicious. The end result is super fragrant, and the addition of coconut milk makes it creamy and comforting. If you can get your hands on some galangal (I love the crimson galangal and all the exotic spices from the Vietnamese company Van-Van) then I highly recommend using it as a flavor enhancer.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, high protein
• Serves: 6 people

It’s a family tradition of ours to eat paella every Christmas Eve. I confess I am not the one who makes it…and I’m glad of that, because it takes forever. I have, however, made this cheater’s version and declare it to be just as delicious devoured by a roaring fire as on the porch in July.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, one pan
• Serves: 8 people

The decadent sauce is made completely from scratch, but it’s just as easy as dumping in a can of cream-of-whatever. Note: You can also make this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs—provided you reduce the cooking time accordingly—and if you’re feeling fancy I recommend a more exotic mushroom mix that includes maitakes and shiitakes.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, high protein, dairy free
• Serves: 5 people

“I marinate the salmon as the oven warms up, and at the same time, cut up the vegetables and toss them with spices,” explains Danielle Walker of this delightful salmon recipe from her cookbook, Eat What You Love: Everyday Comfort Food You Crave. I’m just grateful I don’t have to worry about getting the perfect sear, since the sheet pan will take care of it.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4 people

Three main ingredients + four pantry staples = a ridiculously simple dinner for four. And did I mention that it takes less than 30 minutes and dirties only one dish? (Psst: Any type of sausage works here.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: Instant Pot recipe, <30 minutes, vegan
• Serves: 4 servings

Here, Chef Nisha Vora’s Instant Pot spicy thai butternut squash soup. The author of The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes, says “the hardest part of making the recipe is chopping the butternut squash.” I say, Oh, pressure cooker, what would I do without you?

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, dairy free, <30 minutes
• Serves: 6 people

This is another one courtesy of Tieghan Gerard, the recipe developer and food blogger behind Half Baked Harvest, who writes that you can “finish each bowl off with steamed white rice and serve with fresh naan. You’ll have the perfect healthy chicken curry that can be enjoyed any night of the week,” adding that “the leftovers are even more delicious the next day.” Plus, you can whip it up on the stove or in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. This dish is versatile like that. 

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4 people

“This one skillet salmon is for those nights when you’re craving something fancy…ish, but need to keep things quick and easy too,” says Tieghan Gerard of her recipe for garlic butter creamed spinach salmon, adding that “it’s all made in one skillet with heart healthy salmon, shallots, garlic, a touch of creamy coconut milk, parmesan cheese, plenty of fresh baby spinach, and spring herbs.” Sounds to me like it checks all the boxes.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, high protein
• Serves: 6 to 8 people

This pasta dish has all the comfort associated with the word stew, minus the time and effort that typically goes into making one. Plus, it stars canned crushed tomatoes, so you can make this dish all year-round.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: paleo, <30 minutes, high protein
• Serves: 4 people

Raw kale can be a tad tough to swallow. Or in the words of Kelsey Preciado, author of Unbelievabowl Paleo, “kale is great, but it definitely needs a little T.L.C. to really shine, so serving it warm with lots of flavor is a win. Treat your kale like you treat an old friend, with a nice warm hug and a bit of sass.” Here, it’s sautéed in honey-ginger dressing to soften it up.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6 people

“Sautéed shallots and thyme, a splash of white wine, creamy chicken, peas, and carrots all baked under a homemade biscuit topping. It’s rich with lots of layers of flavor, but it’s humble and old-fashioned in all the right ways,” says Lindsay Ostrom of her deconstructed chicken pot pie recipe. I love that you don’t have to fuss with puff pastry here, and although the recipe calls for making the biscuits from scratch, I won’t tell if you save time by using canned biscuits instead.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4 people

Inspired by the calming, nourishing power of classic miso soup, this version from Kelli Foster’s cookbook, The Probiotic Kitchen, gets a hearty upgrade with soba noodles, meaty mushrooms and spinach. If you’re not super familiar with the different varieties of miso, you have little to worry about: “the recipe calls for white miso paste, which has a subtly sweet and mellow flavor, though any variety will work well here,” says Foster.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6 people

Thanks to a pre-baked flatbread crust, this dinner is exceedingly quick and easy to make. If you don’t have Boursin cheese on hand, ricotta (homemade or store bought) or grated mozz make for fine substitutes.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, one pot
• Serves: 4 people

It’s as comforting as a classic egg noodle soup, but gets two major boosts of flavor from miso paste and cheese tortellini. Note: I recommend white miso here because it has a milder, sweeter flavor, but red miso will work too, though you might want to adjust the seasoning to account for its richer, saltier taste.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 people

While it wouldn’t really be vodka sauce without it, you can skip the hard liquor if you don’t have it on hand or you’re feeling lazy—it happens, I would know. Just say it’s tomato cream sauce and call it a day, though I would still recommend including some kind of acid (a splash of vinegar, lemon juice, some white wine) so you can scrape up that beautiful fond that forms at the bottom of the pan.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 6 people

This casserole is creamy, comforting and big enough to feed a crowd, but still feels modern thanks to dollops of ricotta and plenty of spinach. Not cooking for a crowd? No problem. This casserole is freezer-friendly—just store the leftovers and revisit them whenever you don’t have a different dinner plan.