30 November Dinner Ideas That Are Low-Lift, Holiday-Ready and Delicious

The only easier way to make dinner is to order takeout. Serve this sheet pan beauty with bread, pasta or rice, so not a drop of the citrusy butter sauce goes to waste. Or, stick to just meat and veggies to keep the carbs to a minimum.

You love meatballs and you love chicken tikka masala…so what could be better than a combination of the two? This Crockpot wonder boasts layers of complex flavor, but only requires minimal effort (as in ten minutes of prep) on your end.

Chilly weather calls for a meal that's warm, nourishing and comforting to the last drop. This updated chicken soup totally fits the bill. Go ahead and add noodles if you want to make it more filling, or use rotisserie chicken to cut down on cooking time.

Homemade pasta in 40 minutes? Believe it, friend. This cozy dish is actually super simple to execute, since everything is cooked in the same pot. Finish your plate with grated Parm and chopped chives.

Reason #426 to get a pressure cooker if you haven't already. You can make traditionally low-and-slow recipes in a flash, like this cozy mushroom soup that reheats like a charm. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken to make it vegan.

I kid you not: This hearty, filling curry is one of the easiest dishes I've ever made. Plus, with so many pantry ingredients on the list, you probably have much of what you need in your kitchen right now. That's a win-win in my book.

Creamy, dreamy cheese and lip-smackingly spicy chili crisp make this salad feel—dare I say it?—decadent. The chili crisp is both a garnish and a key ingredient in the dressing, along with tangy balsamic vinegar. It’ll become your go-to vinaigrette in no time, trust.

And you thought cooking steak at home was a tall order. These cuts of beef tenderloin only need about three minutes per side under the broiler to cook to juicy perfection. Let the meat rest for at least five minutes before slicing so they retain their juices.

Friday will always be pizza night in my book, and this pie offers a fun, colorful, autumnal twist. The garlicky butternut squash sauce is spiked with fresh herbs and topped with gooey mozzarella and creamy ricotta for good measure.

Forget fussy chicken wings—this 50-minute crowd-pleaser is bound to become your game day go-to. It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, but if you don't have any dietary restrictions, top your bowl with all the cheddar cheese, sour cream and Fritos your heart desires.

This recipe—which is earthy, creamy and refreshing, thanks to tahini, peanut butter and cucumbers—is delightfully versatile. Swap in udon, spaghetti, linguine or any long pasta you have on hand, or make the dish gluten free by using rice noodles and coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce. 

The most comforting soup and the coziest sandwich of all time, united on one plate—that's an autumn miracle if I've ever seen one. The handheld has everything you love about the O.G. dish, from the buttery caramelized onions to the gooey Gruyère.

If you could make risotto without stirring nonstop and babysitting the stove all night, wouldn't you make it more often? Enter this indulgent, low-lift orzotto. Take your pick of honeynut, butternut or kabocha squash for the sauce.

Can you believe this crowd-pleaser only requires 25 minutes of your time? The couscous cooks right on the baking sheet in chicken stock, so you won't have to wait for a pot of water to boil to prepare it. In the words of Ina Garten, how is easy is that?

Your kids' takeout favorite, minus the delivery fee. The Crockpot does all the heavy lifting for you, so you'll have plenty of time to prepare a batch of steamed white rice for serving. Finish each bowl with a flourish of sliced scallions and sesame seeds.

Believe it or not, the store-bought gnocchi gets soft on the inside and crispy on the outside without a single second of boiling. Chalk it up to a drizzle of olive oil and your trusty sheet pan.

You've never had shakshuka like this at brunch. "The yogurt base, seasoned with lemon and herbs, turns almost ricotta-like," explains recipe developer Adeena Sussman. "While the shakshuka is cooking, [the] eggplant crisps up in the oven to create the tastiest little veggie croutons you've ever had." Where do I sign?

From the Brussels and winter squash to the bright mustard marinade, this dinner is the epitome of fall. The fish would pair gorgeously with wild rice, pasta or greens. Feel free to swap in trout, halibut, cod or pollock for salmon if it's not your fave.

The caramelized 'shrooms in this pasta are savory, chewy and a far cry from the wet, spongy ones you've picked off your pizza in the past. The shatteringly crisp prosciutto is merely gilds the lily.

The trick to tender, juicy pork chops? Bringing them to room temperature and salting them 45 minutes before cooking. As for the bold, smoky dry rub, it would taste divine on ribs, steak, chicken thighs, whitefish or roasted cauliflower.

Aka the best way to empty your fridge's forlorn crisper drawer without settling for a sad salad. It'll be hard not to lick the casserole dish clean in one sitting, but might I suggest freezing the leftovers (or making a second batch) to reheat on Thanksgiving?

I love you, store-bought pizza dough. This cheater's pie is piled high with easy jarred tomato sauce, three types of cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated olives. I'd wash it all down with a dry Italian red if I were you.

No, you don’t actually have to stir polenta the entire time it cooks. You do, however, have to top it with mushrooms, bacon and all the fresh herbs you can find to turn it into something spectacular.

This cold-weather dish will soothe your soul at first spoonful. The slightly bitter radicchio is marinated in fresh lemon juice, then added to the stew at the end of cooking so it retains its crunch. Stir in a few meatballs or a swirl of yogurt for a boost of protein.

Behold, a 20-minute salad that’s packed with protein (thanks, shrimp) and tastes even better when prepared a day in advance. Take your pick of citrus, but I'm partial to grapefruits and clementines.

I love that this pasta salad has crunchy, salty and sweet elements to it. But the best thing about this make-ahead recipe is that it will keep in the fridge until Thanksgiving (and taste just as good on the big day as it does on the 28th).

With all that hosting and socializing ahead, you deserve a low-lift dinner that doesn't require a moment of cooking. Enter this fancy charcuterie board that's endlessly riffable, decidedly drool-worthy and oh-so photogenic.

It's Thanksgiving, so turkey is a no-brainer. The slow cooker makes for the moistest bird of your life, promise. While you're at it, pair the poultry with make-ahead mashed potatoes, stuffing muffins, vegetarian gravy and five-ingredient red wine cranberry sauce.

You'll need to fuel up for all those Black Friday sales. Your usual leftover turkey sandwiches won't know what hit them when this seasonal beauty graces the table. Take a whack at toasting the pumpkin seeds yourself—it's easier than you think.

Name a better way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes, I'll wait. These ingenious fritters come crowned with a generous dollop of tangy crème fraîche. (They'd fit right in at Sunday brunch...just sayin'.)